Fangirl Moment: Doctor Strange

TGIF! Here we are again with another Fangirl Friday! This week I am super late… like a whole day late with my Fangirl Friday post, though technically it’s still Friday where I live. But, that’s besides the point, the reason I’m so late with this post is because I decided that I wanted to write about something super current. For this week’s post, I’m covering the newest film in the MCU lineup, Doctor Strange!!

I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the theater, because aside from seeing one Doctor Strange animated film on Cartoon Network years ago, I don’t know much about the guy… However, that didn’t stop me from getting a ticket to the film in 3D…

Dr. Stephen Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) life changes after a car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he looks for healing, and hope, in a mysterious enclave. He quickly learns that the enclave is at the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying reality. Before long, Strange is forced to choose between his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.

-Synopsis

First, I’ve got to say that Marvel’s Doctor Strange is a visually stunning film, it’s like watching Inception through a kaleidoscope! I’m not going to lie, but when I first saw the principle artwork for the film and the trailers, I was really expecting the special effects to look ridiculous. But I was actually impressed with the level of detail put into the overall design of the film. The sets were simply magical and for a film partially grounded in a world of magic and mysticism, everything had better be larger than life!

While the film does include elements from the previous MCU films, Doctor Strange also presents it’s own mythos separate from the existing MCU continuity. At it’s core, Strange is a standalone origin story for the character and for what it’s worth this is probably one of the best Marvel has given us in a long time (and I mean single hero films, not the ensemble films).  Instead of dropping us head first into the multidimensional, physics defying world of Steven Strange, the film actually takes the time to get us acquainted with the neurosurgeon turned sorcerer supreme. We learn alongside strange as he learns to open his mind to the things outside of the scope of his understanding.

In traditional Marvel fashion, Steven Strange is a flawed protagonist. Like the billionaire, playboy, philanthropist Tony Stark, Strange is an arrogant, self serving prick… and you’d think that would make him a wholly unlikable character, but, it was quite the opposite. Strange is witty and charming, and Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect in the role… swoon worthy actually and I hope to see more of him in future MCU films.

However, the film isn’t perfect… I’m still a little salty that Tilda Swinton was cast as the Ancient One, a character that is Tibetan in the comics (yes, I am well aware of the reason behind the casting choice, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it). And while I am happy that some of Strange’s closest allies were POC, I really wish they hadn’t been relegated to sidekicks… *sigh* I guess I’ll have to wait for Black Panther if I want to see a strong POC lead in a superhero film…

Overall, I really liked the film and I highly recommend watching it (just maybe not in 3D), the visuals are gorgeous, the story was solid, and Cumberbatch is wonderful as the future Sorcerer Supreme… 

Are you a fan of Marvel Cinematic Universe? Have you seen Doctor Strange? Do you plan on seeing it? Let me know what you think in the comments section. If you like what you see, like this post or follow Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! As always THANK YOU FOR READING!!