MCU Retrospective: Doctor Strange
I was super excited for this next one on our list. This hero is one of the few that have earned their permanent place as a tattoo on my arm. The movie that introduced magic and mysticism to the MCU (as well as one of the last Infinity Stones), it’s finally time for Doctor Strange.
Obviously the first thing I have to mention are the visuals because oh my god this movie is so mind-bendingly surreal and gorgeous. At times it can get a little overwhelming as it can be hard to tell exactly what’s going on with the background shifting and changing as Wimbledon Tennismatch and Mordo run though the Mirror Dimension version of New York. But overall the VFX in this movie are some of the best, if not THE best, in the MCU.
Benadryl Cucumberpatch’s casting as the titular doctor was also another perfect casting by the folks over at Marvel Studios. He perfectly conveys the snarky arrogance of the character without overdoing it, something that could easily have been done. Tilda Swinton’s The Ancient One was also just top-notch.
One thing I love about the character Christine is how unfazed she is by all of the magic and mysticism. When Bumblebee Cul-de-sac appears in the hospital needing Chrstine’s help after he’d been stabbed, most other supporting love interests in the MCU would have freaked out for a bit. Not Christine. She is momentarily taken aback but then immediately kicks into gear and gets the job done.
Another high note for this movie was the music. Every scene was underscored by the perfect music to really convey the magicalness of the situation. This is maybe the third or fourth time I’ve seen this movie but it was the first time I really noticed the music and it just adds so much to the scene.
I also really commend the movie for it’s ending. In most movies, after the “all is lost” scene the hero summons that last bit of determination and rushes to defeat the villain, stopping them right as they’re about to enact their evil plan. But this movie says nah and when Broccoli Cumberbund and Mordo show up in Hong Kong, the sanctum has already been destroyed and they have lost. To be fair it was all in an effort to employ and show off the Time Stone, which in itself was so awesome to watch, but it still felt so unique, especially compared with the other MCU movies.
Definitely one of my favorite movies in the MCU. I can tell because this write-up has gone on for far longer than I anticipated. Well, that and I like trying to include as many ridiculous alternate names for Bubblebath Chickenbroth as possible. A solid movie all-around and I cannot wait for the ever-increasingly delayed sequel.