Doctor Strange - Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Special Effects

Pyrian

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Eh, the day Marvel feels the need to stop using time-tested plot formulas to make their films is the day the franchise starts circling the toilet. Face it: the MCU isn't successful despite its predilections, but because of them.
 

Callate

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It's a good movie. It doesn't drag. The dialogue doesn't bog down with obvious exposition or narrative. There are clever and funny bits. The visuals are creative and interesting (though I suspect I'm glad I didn't see it in 3D; all the perspective-switching and kaleidoscope-like effects probably have given me a headache). It sets the stage for Strange to be a credible and distinctive presence in the Marvel Universe, and by and large it doesn't fall into the "magic can do whatever the plot needs it to" trap, which is no small feat- one not infrequently failed badly by its source medium.

It's far less "formula" than any of a dozen movies out right now, except in the ways that most of Marvel's successes are formulaic- a certain balance of action to banter to character development, a leanness in developing relationships that usually works to the movie's benefit, and a certain number of spectacle set-pieces that make for talking points when the movie is over ("Dormammu! I'm here to bargain!")

Bluntly, I'm inclined to say that fatigue with superhero blockbusters as a whole is hardly Dr. Strange's fault. It's a perfectly good showcase of what it is, and even if it wasn't equipped with nine digital effects teams (I believe that was the final count, I started laughing at that point in the credits) the dialogue and performances would still be well above par, for any movie in any genre.
 

Bob_McMillan

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SupahEwok said:
Laughing Man said:
Nope, That's not him, that's the Guy who got his back spun in one of Hammer's Iron man suit knock-off from Iron-Man 2.
I doubt it, ignoring the fact that the director of the film has now stated that we shouldn't read to much in to the phone call, i.e he's not saying who it is, the time line doesn't match. Right at the start of Dr Strange you see the post Avenger's fully repaired Stark building that alone suggests that the time line for Hammer's guy just doesn't add up.

So while it may not be Rhodie the time line certainly doesn't add up to Hammer's guy either.
Haven't seen Strange yet, but Dr Strange is namedropped as one of the powerful individuals Hydra wants to eliminate in Winter Soldier, which means him becoming the Sorcerer Supreme has to take place before then, middle of Phase 2.
Further evidence of the guy being the dude in Iron Man 2 is that either the director or the writer (can't remember which one) has said that it isn't Rhodey. Also, if I'm not mistaken, it was referred to an accident with experimental armor tech, so it really is more likely the Iron Man 2 guy.
 

Laughing Man

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Further evidence of the guy being the dude in Iron Man 2 is that either the director or the writer (can't remember which one) has said that it isn't Rhodey.
The Director said that it was neither of them and that you shouldn't read to much in to the details of that phone call.

Okay the movie takes place at the earliest mid 2015. Skipping everything else the easiest way to tell is the car he has his accident in, a Lambo Huracan a car that didn't go to market until at least the middle of 2015.

There that was easy wasn't it. Mind you saying that with Agents of Shield taking a walk in to the same areas as Dr Strange they could turn round and mention it something about him which would give us a better more exact date.
 

JUMBO PALACE

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Laughing Man said:
Skipping everything else the easiest way to tell is the car he has his accident in, a Lambo Huracan a car that didn't go to market until at least the middle of 2015.
And it sounded nasty didn't it? My buddy drove one on a track when we were in Vegas and it was glorious up close. I went with the 458.
 

Laughing Man

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And it sounded nasty didn't it? My buddy drove one on a track when we were in Vegas and it was glorious up close. I went with the 458.
Damn that's a tough choice but I would probably go with the 458 as well then again I was lucky enough to drive a 360 Modena round Knockhill so a Lambo would be something a bit different.
 

runic knight

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I rather enjoyed the movie and while I have complaints about things such as it being another origin story and some of the end-movie stuff, I still think it was a solid film. I do hear a lot of people complaining that marvel is being safe and that is bad, but while I don't totally disagree, I think they are making the right call here. For one, they don't need to step up their game when their rival is as incompetent as DC is, and actively know they may well shoot themselves in the foot trying to be too different than what made people like them. And they know the formula works well and people enjoy it. They push outwards in smaller ways (such as this one's visual effects, or Antman's more comedy-centered feel, or Guardians less known group) and seem to take what works with them as they progress. A smaller scope of trial and error working through a reliable and steady steam of quality movies is probably the best business plan hollywood could be counted on doing.
 

Imp_Emissary

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It was a pretty fun movie to watch, with some smart moves taken from other Doctor Strange stuff.

I kind of like the origin story from the animated movie a bit better though. In the movie Strange is an arrogant surgeon who can back up his talk with ability. Same with the animated one, but his reason for being cynical there was better explained with him becoming such a great surgeon to save his little sister, who had a brain tumor that all the doctors said was inoperable. So Strange decided to try and save her himself. You can guess the results.

It's kind of an overdone trope, but it does add a fair bit of pathos to his character in that it gives him a powerful bit of motivation to be cynical about going out of his way to help people since when he (the greatest surgeon of his time) tried to save his only family member, he failed, and part of his arch is not just putting others before himself, but also accepting that he can't/couldn't save everyone and that there are some things simply beyond him.

Granted, that lesson does become a bit questionable as he becomes MUCH more powerful latter on, but it's still interesting.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing Thor, Strange, and The Hulk/Banner in Ragnarok! >:D