Seriously good but could use more humor

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2016)

This film is very good. The visuals are probably the best feature but it has a solid cast, good acting, and a very able hero to add to the Marvel film universe. There were several times I lost interest in the characters and what they were doing, a better story with more aside type humor might have helped that.
This film is serious, that's for sure. It starts out with a doctor making life or death choices in surgery. From there is transfers to Hong Kong and the focus is on learning martial arts and a Zen mindset. My 9-year- old found these parts very boring. To me, they were OK in that they were part of the machine of telling the story. I did think those scenes could have been eliminated in retrospect.
There is a villain and he is certainly hated and scary. It is unclear where he gets his powers though and so he seems flat. It would be nice to get more back story on him. The visuals, mostly CGI, are stunning and they really drew me in. This idea of "folding in" dimensions one upon another is hypnotic and this part of the story is told well.
Tis film is very polarized on its hero. I would have liked to see his relationship with his colleague/lover developed. This could have opened our minds more to his motivation. As it is, the first half of the movie is basically just life events that lead up to the car accident. The second half is him flailing to find a way to make his hands stop shaking. That is the only motivation in the film really.
There is a lot of action here. If you want something visually stunning, Doctor Strange is for you. Some viewers might find the focus on training a bit long but there is plenty of action here as well. I guess I would have liked to see this film "get to it" sooner but then again, I am not familiar with the comic book storyline. I would definitely recommend this film to Marvel comic fans and those interested in Eastern meditation, martial arts, and the Doctor Strange character.