Good film, but cannot match the hype

Rating: Null/10 (4 April 1999)

Dr. Strangelove has developed a strong cult following, which supposedly establishes it as a must-see cultural icon. The problem is, the film isn't as great as its reputation might suggest.
The primary flaw is its attempt to play as both a comedy and a drama about a serious subject. By attempting to do both, it does neither. The comical bits simply aren't ("You can't fight in here -- this is the war room" is just plain corny).
As someone who lived through the cold war, I can certainly appreciate the gravity of nuclear destruction. However, Dr. Strangelove, unlike other anti-nuclear films ("The Day After" and "On the Beach" come readily to mind) is not even remotely based in fact. While there was and is always the danger of a madcap general launching a nuclear strike on his own authority, the inability to recall the planes is absurd.
Finally, it is worth noting that although Peter Sellers gets top billing, it is George C. Scott that steals the show hands down. Sellers plays his three characters well, as one would expect, but none of the three (including the limp-noodle president) play central roles in the overall story. The Group Captain role is merely a foil to the crazed general, and Dr. Strangelove himself is a one-dimensional character without whom the film would be scarcely different. As for the president, the least-inspiring yet most dominant of the three roles, he acts merely as a straight undeveloped figure who is a clearinghouse for the various proposals for action or inaction. While the acting is good, Sellers spreads himself too thin and might have been served better had he played only one part.
The movie is a part of the culture, and is worth seeing. However, it is dated, inaccurate and over-hyped. The production values are good, as are the dramatic / suspenseful elements, but, based largely on its overblown reputation, an overall disappointment.