Dr. Strange Review (No Spoilers)

I finally saw Doctor Strange last night and while I won't spoil it I will say you need to go see this movie. For background sake I am a pretty big comic guy. I know the books and characters well enough that I don't go to these movies expecting to be surprised. Out of the 4 of us who went I was the only one who knew who Doctor Strange was. One other guy had heard of him from some of the Marvel video games and the others had no idea. We all walked out talking about when we will go see it again so even if you have no clue about this part of the Marvel universe don't worry you will still enjoy it. 

The major knock against Marvel movies I hear is that they are all the same origin story again and again. To be honest if you saw the first Iron Man movie then you have more or less heard this story before. Guy is a very successful, cocky, dick who suffers a traumatic setback and goes down the road to redemption and finally being a hero. While the story isn't anything new it is the way it's told that makes this movie amazing. 

In a comic the art shows you the beginning and end of Doctor Strange casting a spell and you mind fills in the gap between the panels. Here they had to show the whole process and they nailed it. Magic isn't saying a few words and there it is here. You can see that they are pulling the energy for what happens in as believable a way as possible. That leads into the special effects and this movie is alone in that area. I was watching it and amazed at what I was seeing. The scene with New York folding in on itself is a lot better than the ads make it seem. The other scene you have seen of what looks to be a outer space is done like the old Steve Ditko era comics. It is crazy to see it on the big screen and not done in a cheesy way. I thought the scenes in Inception were done well but Doctor Strange is that times 10. I saw it in 3d and that can be hit or miss but this is the kind of movie thats made for it. 

I also think its worth pointing out that this is very much a standalone movie. After the last few Marvel movies have had cameos or co stars of other major characters this is purely Doctor strange. There are a few easter eggs for you to catch but you could walk into this without having seen any previous movie and be totally fine. Of course stay till the end and the end of a Marvel movie is only once the lights are on, all credits have finished, and the guy coming in to sweep up gives you the all clear. The after credit scenes tie Doctor Stange into the overall Marvel movie universe and give a hint to whats to come both for him and with the bigger MU.

If I go on any more it would be spoiler stuff and nobody wants that. So I will just say if you are a fan of comic movies (and if you are here checking out our stuff you most likely are) I completely recommend seeing the good doctor in his first appearance on the big screen. Bonus points if you walk in wearing our shirt ode to his house the Sanctum Sanctorum.  You can pick yours up here .