I concur with what Matt Mattingly said: “ ‘Doctor
Strange’ was brilliant. Equal parts wit, charm, Eastern mysticism, and
absolutely amazing graphic effects. While waiting for the end credits scene, we
noticed Charleston’s own Tanner Bartlett had a screen credit as a digital
compositor. Especially neat for Dan and Paul since he grew up next door to
them.”
It’s a first-rank Marvel film like Iron Man, one
that also uses wit to enhance rather than undermine the melodramatic action. Tilda
Swinton is a perfect Ancient One, subtly otherworldly, wise and imperious. Benedict
Cumberbatch’s skill at playing brilliant, arrogant figures like Sherlock Holmes
and Alan Turing fits this role like the proverbial glove.
The movie also overcame the plotting problem
inherent in super-magician stories, where the characters can just wave their
hands and seemingly make anything happen. The extent of their powers being
undefined tends to kill suspense, because they can always pull some deus ex
machina spell out of their ass at the last minute. But here, all the magical
battles had clever and logical solutions. And martial arts kinetic action was
combined with the spell-hurling fireworks of the comic books to vary the
action. The supernatural vistas both turn our own world inside out and upside
down, and send us into artist Steve Ditko’s, where Dormammu dwells.
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