Like any major holiday, the anticipation for another Marvel movie has slowly built up, digging away at excited fanboys and girls until opening weekend, and now it's gone. Time to start gearing up our anticipation up for the next one. At least we have Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks. This year's second annual Marvel movie, "Dr. Strange", was visually exactly that, a marvel.
"Dr. Strange's" visuals were a sight for sore eyes. In a world of CGI heavy cinema "Dr. Strange" managed to keep me awe struck at the complexity of its designed scenic visual effects. Slap on a pair of 3D glasses, and it makes the movie a true experience. Which I HIGHLY recommend you pay the extra money for, for this movie, if 3D doesn't make you sick.
Although I took in the visuals of "Dr. Strange" as ground breaking for this day and age, the story line was Marvel origin story formulaic. Which is not a complaint! The movie's plot is fun, action packed, and easy to digest. Although, I must say, without the visual effects the movie would lose a sense freshness. Personally, I felt the final act of the film snuck up on us in a very unbalanced way.
But before I go any further, what is "Dr. Strange" about? Well Google says:
Dr. Stephen Strange's 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. 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.
If I were to use the word trippy to describe the movie I wouldn't be wrong, but I also wouldn't be on the head of the nail either. "Dr. Strange is kind of like looking through the marvel universe through a kaleidoscope. The majority of the plot centers around Eastern philosophy, but for me managed to lose itself in a muddled morality of what is right, and what is wrong. For instance, the Villain of the film, who actor Mads Mikkelsen develops an incredible presence for, makes their blood oath to their evil other-dimensional leader in a church, and that same leader's biggest fault is wanting to grant the world eternal life.
There were blatant deviations, and detraction from Judeo-Christian philosophy in the movie that made right from wrong difficult to tell on one level deeper than the fact that the bad guy has skin peeling make-up on, and a menacing scar on his forehead, and the good guy wears blue, and red, and studies with monks.
But the visuals were very cool, and the movie was fun. It is absolutely worth seeing in 3D if you go see it, which I don't think I've ever recommended to someone before. "Dr. Strange" also presents a very Marvel take on Eastern Philosophy which is a neat thing to have out there in its vast cinematic universe.
