Doctor Strange: Awesome Movie I Don't Recall Asking For

We've all heard my argument before: it's beginning to look a little redundant that Marvel has yet to make a movie that not only doesn't qualify as “good” but hasn't even managed to make one in the definitive “bad” category. With the closest thing to an actual “bad” movie being the likes of Iron Man 2 or Thor 2 (which are still incidentally better than anything currently in the DC catalog), it just feels like Marvel should be cockier and willing to take more deliberate chances just to see what characters audiences might not be willing to tolerate (Howard the Duck? Gwenpool? Ms. Marvel?). Finally, after seemingly running through what feels like their entire roster, Marvel seems to at long last have landed on the unfilmable superhero with Doctor Strange (he's a wizard who sometimes freelances as a Necromancer and a therapist to the superheros). The result? A predictably great movie with fun humor, interesting main characters and enough charm and wit to be memorable. This is getting kind of old, Marvel.

If you haven't guessed it, yes, Doctor Strange is awesome (sigh). Benedict Cumberbatch is fun and interesting and fits the character well enough that I'd like to see him more often in the universe, the cast chemistry is endearing and, even when the movie goes off on the whole gonzo metaphysical stuff characteristic of the Doctor Strange comics, it still remains simple enough to follow. Throw in Mads Mikkelsen as arguably the best and most relateable villain since Loki and you have something that not only appeals to the masses but somehow will likely appease all but the most psychotically devout fanboys. Its like a universally appealing art house movie; it just doesn't happen like that!

As for bad, try as she may, Rachel McAdams is criminally underused and completely underwhelming as human love interest Christine Palmer. This could mostly be chalked up to the script writers wishing to blow off Strange's human life quickly to get to the good stuff (and by “good stuff” I mean weird metaphysical nonsense with hints of Inception), but it is kind of sad to see how thoroughly pointless the actual human side of Strange becomes in this movie. Newsflash, screenwriters: the less human a character seems, the less we relate to them.

The argument for watching this comes down to how you feel about Marvel movies. If you like the path this is going and are not at all concerned that they may have added a kind of Deus Ex to the next Avengers movie (the guy is basically a mortal with the power to stop time and destroy whole universes), knock yourself out because this is just more of the same good writing mixed with great casting that you've come to expect from this franchise. If you're seeking something with a little more depth or character development, you probably own four or five other Marvel movies that do it better. Your choice.

Scott Derrickson (Sinister) proves that you can escape the bottomless pit of a horror genre director to make movies that Disney will throw money at you to make with Doctor Strange, a fun, mostly enjoyable trip through alternate dimensions that you might want to be sober to partake in. Having lost the use of his hands in a car wreck, neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) begins looking for ways to regain not only the proper use of his body again but for a deeper purpose to his life. Along the way, Mads Mikkelson's Kaecilius will be a totally awesome bad guy who the powers that be should have taken more advantage of, Strange's human friend (McAdams) will drop in and out occasionally to ask the questions we're already asking, Strange will prove that you can beat an enemy to death with boredom (literally) and, all in all, it will probably be the second most magical thing you've seen in November (Because The Cubs Won The World Series!). Go have predictable fun with this one.

My score: 8/10. Is it me or is Marvel beginning to seem a little bit arrogant about their seeming inability to make a bad comic book movie? I would suggest they make another Howard the Duck as a humbling exercise, but I have an odd feeling they'd just make that awesome too. Maybe they should steal some Deadpool characters (Dazzler anyone?) for the challenge...