My initial thoughts of Doctor Strange were mostly nil. I hadn’t ever spent any time with the character outside of his escapades in the greater Marvel universe. Though I was aware of his abilities and their origins, I wasn’t particularly aware of the character’s origin. This review is slightly tainted with what I think most viewers are going to feel, a genuine sigh of relief that they can take a complete mental departure from the rest of the Marvel films, and watch a fresh film focused on ONE character. (I wish I could bold that more.) One character whom’s origin they don’t know!

After some deliberation, I have decided to honor the above statement by not telling you the story, but instead I will review my overall experience in the film. First, star Benedict Sherlock Khan Strange Cumberbatch’s American accent is a treat. In so much that it is the first time I have ever been able to tell how British people feel when Americans butcher their accent. I want to make sure you understand, it doesn’t sound “bad”, it’s just that it isn’t an accent I have ever heard in America, but it is completely legitimate. He owns it through the entire film.

What really stands out above all is the departure from the overall Marvel visual theme. No longer does the story take place on a war-torn city scape or at the base of castle, or in a giant military compound. Like a lifeguard resuscitating a drowned person who also was thoughtful enough to use scope right before starting, the mix of bright, vibrant colors that make the Strange astral planes pop against the ancient Nepalese interiors that define the training ground and the visual tone of the film as a whole.

I was pleasantly surprised that the “Inception” style dreamscapes are used much more dynamically than in Nolan’s film. While “Inception” focused on down-to-earth human feats of skill in the dreamscape, “Doctor Strange” goes many steps further, creating super-human stunts and fight scenes truly worthy of the imagination one should have while dreaming. Guns are replaced spark covered whips and shields created by hand waving blowtorch lines in the air. The imagery for the spells is what I imagine you wish would happen when you play with sparklers.

The romance in this film takes a very welcome backseat even though it appears initially like it might drive the Doctor. Rachel McAdams plays the strong, independent human woman the MCU has been missing. And I know what you’re thinking, “Strong and Independent Woman” review cliche, but it’s hard to call her anything else. That is most of what she does in the film in the short period she is there. The superhuman Celtic Ancient One played by Tilda Swinton while also S-A-I-W, is much more the strict teacher one might recall from their years in catholic school… minus the catholicism. Wise and knowing and a genuinely well received performance, the story gives you a reason to forgive its cultural appropriation misgivings. Precisely because it was so good, you’re guilt takes a break that it probably shouldn’t.

I say indulge. Check out this film on the big screen for its dreamy-meets-fireworks effects and, what I can only assume to some, the dreamy Cumberbatch, American Version 1.0. It is a welcome change in visual tone to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. –Yaboyshin

~* 8 / 10 *~