Was there something in my popcorn?

Rating: 8/10 (29 October 2016)

As I left the cinema into the cold and rainy evening I wasn't able to say much about the movie. Me and my friend were mostly joking about mysterious substances that could've been hidden inside the free popcorn we received before the premiere. I'm pretty sure a lot of people will make these kinds of jokes after seeing Doctor Strange, but not in a negative way.
When it comes to the plot and characters of Doctor Strange, well, to be fair it isn't any different from the usual big movies we get – we have our hero, our villain, mentor, love interest, sidekick, etc. It is a solid formula that Marvel holds onto and which has brought us an unstoppable Cinematic Universe train where you can't call even the worst entries entirely awful. So as to be expected, Doctor Strange has a solid and straight spine in its back which keeps you grounded after an insane kaleidoscopic trip through New York. But this Marvel formula is not perfect – once in a while it brings us jokes and quips at inappropriate times which can bring you out of an emotional or otherwise intense scene. Of course, it's a colorful comic book movie that shouldn't be taken seriously, but this begs the question: why even have serious scenes if the point is to have just simple fun? But while the plot isn't something too extraordinary for Doctor Strange, the movie works on a completely another level in visuals.
I was a little bit dumbstruck after the movie. Perhaps not because of the movie itself but by the fact that something like this was ever made by a big studio. While the plot was kept solid and grounded by the already formulaic Marvel style, the meat around it was just something surreal. Right from the get-go the prologue gives you a taste of what's to come and every time mystic artistry is done by one of the characters, it manages to even top the previously seen psychedelic imagery. Sometimes there are fights with the use of martial arts, sparkles and flashy lights but when it comes down to actually defeating an opponent, it is only done by the wits and clever use of magical tools by the arcane spell-masters rather than the size of their mana pool. So perhaps you can predict an outcome of a conflict but I guarantee that it is impossible to predict the way those characters try to reach their goals. So that's what left me dumbstruck about this – the movie manages to visually defy expectations and actually surprise you up to the very last confrontation.
It sounds a bit lame to recommend a movie only for the visuals but that's what I'm doing. While there is some spiritualism involved in Doctor Strange, it doesn't stand out too much. And the already amazing cast did a solid job and I can't complain at all. Perhaps there could've been more Mads. There's never enough Mads. I like this popcorn. HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON PLEASE, i want this moment to stay for a little longer.
OK, now i want you to see this movie
Conclusion: Where's Mads? out of 10