Fairly true to the original

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2018)

I used to read Dr. Strange comics as a teenager and always found it the most imaginative of the Marvel universe. The movie capture much of the magic of the magic. Benedict Cumberbatch is great in the title role and Tilda Swinton shines as the ancient one. More convincing than an ancient old man with a beard - though that might have been good also. Chiwetel Ejiofor was good as Mordo - going through the degeneration from loyal hack of the ancient one to doubting Thomas in a believable way. Mads Mikkelsen was suitably threatening and believable as the arch zealot Kaecilius and was a worthy foil to the growing power of Strange.

The special effects are wonderful - the dizzying mirror dimension scenes as well as the encounter with the Dread Dormammu (did they use 'Dread' in the film - maybe not). The pace is good and there is indeed a reasonable character development in Strange from the egotistical materialist to the less arrogant contemplative of the mystic arts. The film captures well the multi-dimensional world of Strange and evokes the threat from extra-dimensional beings in a way that's commensurate with the sense of awe in the original comic rendition. The film never degenerates into an overly fantastic atmosphere, with scenes in the hospital and city streets anchoring the fantastic in the real. The costumes are just right and true to the comic vision. I was glad to see that this film was added to the cinematic Marvel universe. Scott Derrickson directed the whirlpool of action well and gave it the right balance of real and fantastic. Strange's pilgrimage to Katmandu was reminiscent of Bruce Wayne's to Asia to find himself with a guru.
Anyway - all in all a fine film and afterwards I felt I could open a portal into another dimension.