Escapist fun but cynical prequel plot

Rating: 5/10 (5 October 2017)

I did enjoy this movie. As with all the Marvel movies, the special effects were excellent and the premise was novel and engaging. I was disappointed by the lack of humour that is so prominent in those other films of the Superhero genre (e.g. Iron Man). In that way, it felt more like a DC movie than a Marvel. The attempt at humour with Wong near the end was poor in the extreme. Although, I did laugh at the cloak pulling Doctor Strange about.
Chiwetel Ejiofor is an amazing actor and brings his own special magic to any role he plays. I especially liked him at the end when he changes to bad and I look forward to watching him in the next instalment. Tilda Swinton was a bold and interesting choice as the Ancient One. This is a complex character, especially when one is never quite sure what side she's on. She looks pretty scary bald.
Benedict Cumberbatch is another matter for me. He is fantastic in Sherlock and it suits his acting skills down to a tee. However, in Doctor Strange I found his accent annoying and his performance somewhat overacted or underacted at most times.
My main criticism of the film is the cynical prequel plot. It's a half film in the rolling, money making juggernaut of Marvel. It felt to me like they got part way through, ran out of ideas and thought they'd release it anyway because people will always eat it up if it has the Marvel name. He solves the end problem so easily - "Oh I'll just loop time" - woo hoo, the Dormammu followers are gone, the big scary demon (that the Ancient One has apparently fought for hundreds of years) is gone. Yes it was a clever ending but disappointing too.
Overall, if I had paid to go to the cinema to see this I would have walked out unsatisfied.