What I appreciate most about Doctor Strange is that all of the villain motivations made sense. I understood why Dormammu backed off and why Kaecilius and Mordo turned against The Ancient One.
Agree. I think Kaecilius is just a weak man (person) and I think it's his perceived weakness that makes him appear as a weak villain to some. I think he's perfect for the movie.
Would be a nice contrast with two characters fighting against death, but one (Kaecilius) trying to achieve immortality, while the other (Strange) accepting that death is what makes life worth.
I don't get it actually because it was the Chinese that invented tea, the word "tea" is Chinese-derived, and more people drink tea in China than Britain.
The thing about not being scared or surprised at a cloak of levitation is that at this point in the marvel cinematic universe, we have people exposed to all these aliens, gods and inhanced individuals. People just dont find things as strange. no pun intended. So I look at it from that point of view to contradict the reality of the common reaction to something out of the oridnary.
The only thing that bugged me about the film is that I felt they could have spent slightly longer explaining some of the terms like the relics. My sister and I had a spat afterwards as to whether you make your own relic or have one imprint itself on you and whether or not the cape was a relic, so it could have done with some slightly clearer explanation.
My top 5 MCU films are 1.) Doctor Strange 2.) Captain America: Civil War 3.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier 4.) Guardians Of The Galaxy 5.) The Avengers (2012)
Great list homie! 1) Doctor Strange 2) The Avengers 3) GOTG 4) Civil War 5) Winter Soldier Doctor Strange is my favorite superhero and NOW his movie is my favorite superhero film EVER! I've seen IT twice SO far n can't wait to watch IT over and over and over and over again lol.
Hi Grace! Viewer here from Hong Kong. The street in HK is definitely a set, though extremely true to life. The HK sanctum is a slight modification of a real building, it's (now) a famous Chinese medicine school, a very iconic building called Lui Seng Chun - they basically added the sanctum logo on the top. It's positioned next to a market street, just like in the movie, but not quite the same ;) Just a little trivia for you. Thanks for the great review! Love watching your stuff.
It's a great city to visit, Grace - come any time! Though weather is best Nov-Apr. Several movies have been partially filmed here in the past few years (Transformers 4, Ip Man 3, Already Tmw in HK). Also, theatre prices are a bit lower than in NA, which is nice. I live really close to Lui Seng Chun, so I definitely would've noticed if Benedi... I mean, if a movie had been filmed there ;)
Music Yea, argue by insulting the opposite over and over again. I'm referring to the many times you insult others, nor bring down a persons point of view, just to bring up "Marvel's crap" over and over again. You treat this as if your opinion is the towering pinnacle, and insult others as "marvel ass lickers" or "marvel fan cunt". I'm not any of those either, I'm a comic book fan, meaning I enjoy everything. Unless it shouldn't of been, such as bvs, iron man 2, Incredible Hulk etc. Atleast state "Oh this is just my opinion btw" or use the two words (or generally one letter, one word) "I think". Also, know ones perfect. Expect everyone to include perfect grammar in a fucking comment section. Last thing, you better stop liking your own comment, and don't deny it.
Loved this movie from beginning to end!!! mind blowing effects, well balance in humor an action plus top acting, specially from Cumberbatch who in my opinion has provided the best performance ever in an MCU movie.
I'm sure Mads Mikkelsen was great in his fight scenes. He's a former ballet dancer so his sense of his own physicality is amazing. His fights in the goofy Three Musketeers movie were also beautiful. He was actually one of my top choices to play Doctor Strange himself so it salts the wounds a bit to see him wasted this way.
I have to say my favourite Tilda Swinton moment was when Strange confirmed the Ancient One had been siphoning Dormammu's power to extend her life. Mordo just explodes on her, but she's keeping her compose, the same self-confident smile on her face as before. Or trying to: Her jaw was trembling, hanging just a bit ajar, like she couldn't at that moment quite remember HOW to smile. A tinge of panic in her eyes. I think that moment made her later being so willing to just let go make a whole lot more sense, since it struck her that she had lost or was very close to losing her path, and had she went on, she'd come to see that look of sheer disappointment in the eyes of those who trusted her again and again. Having done so even once had been almost more than she could bear.
that wide shot in new york in which strange is falling through the skyscrapers was sooo mindblowing. that whoke sequence in ny was amazing tbh, really enjoyed this movie and plus, those things ancient one said before she died really resonated with me, since i used to have anxiety issues because of overthinking, sometimes about death and how we perceive the world. really good movie, a basic origin movie for certain, but if they did this with an origib story, i cannot wait for what's in store from now on!
My favourite bit in the end title was the entreaty to the audience to drive responsibly, which was lucky because I was going to drive my car off a cliff having been so excited by seeing Dr. Strange do that in the film, I am that stupid.
+Chatroom Goon It's still hypocritical. If you are against 'whitewashing' then you should be against the reversal. But really it's all nonsense. An actor becomes his character, it shouldn't matter his race. That is like getting upset that Kats isn't played by real cats.
The reason ancient one is a white female is the original comic version is from Tibet. And tibet in real world is under China, which China funds this movie. So there you go.
loganski dude They are all great actors in forgettable roles. Marvel could have saved more money by using other less known actor who could delivered same acting results in the movie. Ive seen these great actors deliver great stories, they could have done it with this movie but no.
Wong will have more to do. The reason he didn't in this one was because they had to show the Strange/Mordo dynamic. In the next one it'll be Strange/Wong v Mordo
About fighting Dormammu. We also don't know how long and how many times that fight took place. Dormammu also remembered each and everyone just as Strange does.
Absolutely, totally agree with your review Grace. This film took me by surprise and has now taken a very high place in my list of top Marvel movies and made Dr Strange one of my favourite characters. It was well acted, paced, written and executed. It’s made me go and read the comics, mainly late 60’s and 70’s and I thought the character was fantastic in IFW. Really looking forward to the sequel. Give me a heart Grace, just this once.👍
One of my favorite things about this movie was the score. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Doctor Strange is the first Marvel hero with his own theme that plays through out the movie. Bravo, Michael Giacchino!
The guy your talking about that strange thought was the Ancient One is actually Wong's Father in the comics. his name is Hamir the Hermit, servant to and also poisoned the Ancient One.
I saw the film yesterday and I love it! Also, I realized that Rachel McAdams starred in Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock. Now, she is starring with TV's Sherlock Holmes Benedict Cumberbatch in a Marvel film in which Robert Downey Jr. is also a part of the same cinematic universe.
Your analysis of coming to a wall and having to adapt and adjust really spoke to me. Living with a disability, I've had to let go of dreams and find hope in a new way of doing things that I used to take for granted. It has helped me be more grateful for the blessings I do have. This is one of my top three Marvel films.
A visually amazing movie but i thought they came up short on Stranges story and explaining alot of artifacts and characters origins. Enjoyed it a lot but deffinitely room for improvement in my book.
The one thing that didn't make sense to me at all was that they let him keep the eye. It's crucial to the plot that he has it but it makes to sense that they would catch him using it, lecture him to never use it again and then just let him wear it as a necklace and trust him to only use it as an accessory.
Well, if you want to be kind with the writers, you can say that Wong would have made him put it back in place again after the lesson he gives him in the library about why it is dangerous to use this kind of magic, but they were attacked before the end of that lesson by the bad guys. After which they were kind of hurrying everywhere all the time and you could argue they would have other things in mind... It's a little stretched, in the sense that I would have made the guy put it back where it belongs at once, but I can be understanding with the script since I liked the movie :-D
Yeah but even so they had several calm moments with him wearing the thing and it's so huge and obvious that they can't possibly have not noticed it... And Mordo got super upset with him for using it so he logically would also have gotten pretty upset seeing him wear it. Just doesn't make sense that he would be so upset about him using it but not care at all that he had just been wearing it all that time.
Lol exactly, all those artifacts "dangerous" ones, lying over there just to take and no guards at all. And the book ! Its right there shiny among other books which has more dangerous context. Me and a friend end up laughing on how ridiculous it was.
Strange DID hit another car, the driver of which I'd image called for help after they saw Strange's car tumble off the cliff immediately afterwards. On a largely unrelated note, the one thing I hated about Deadpool was that in the film he causes a huge traffic accident that sees cars being capsized and crushed all around, basically for no other reason than to make a cool entry, and no one deigns to point out all the horrific injuries and gruesome deaths he likely caused to innocent passers-by in the process. It's really the kind of thing after which a character like Colossus should be giving him a steel knuckle sandwich rather than a stern talking-to, since it's pretty much straight-up super villain shit.
wtf scott Adkins not a good fighter. he did the final fight in xmen origins no strings all skill. boyka films universal soldier hes one of the best and one of a few young action heros left c mon lolol
As far as I know, in some hospitals/facilities painting your nails is not allowed. Here in Mexico, my girlfriend (currently studying to become a nurse) has told me several times that she's not allowed to do that, so when the Night Nurse showed her hands it took me out of the picture for a moment.
I just caught up with this film, & watched the spoiler review with fascination. I liked the film very much--it had a different pace than the other MCU films, & I didn't mind the unrealistic elements ("willing suspension of disbelief"). Cumberbatch had great conviction & gave it his all, which I appreciated. Note this film "put the world back together" like "Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them" did--released just a few weeks later.
I only noticed it on my second time watching, Mads Mikkelsen was tearing up while he was talking to Strange while he was in that kinky device. I noticed his eyes were too watery, and you would see tears fall through his face and probably mess up a very tiny bit of the red/purple thing around his eyes haha
Did you ever think the guy laughing at the 1st trip was doing it out of joy or surprise? I smiled throughout that whole part and that's basically me howling
I laughed during Strange's first trip. Not because it was ineffective, but because his reaction was hilarious. You could identify with him having his mind blown. Don't be to quick to judge, Grace. Your assessment of the cape was spot on. Carpet from Aladdin was a great comparison. I thought about the car crash like you did. I rationalized that they traced his cell phone when he didn't show up at the lecture. a stretch, but still possible.
What I missed from this movie was the one thing I understand not using, spells! He didn't say, 'By the Flames of the Faltine!' or 'By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!' because hee doesn't know spells. He was a fast learner but a hack, I would love to see him in the second movie really learn his craft to become the 'Sorcerer Supreme'
I know that this is picky but I really didn't like how they didn't put any emphasis on the eye of agamotto being an infinity stone. They just brushed over it like it was no big deal, but it really was. Also Doctor Strange is like THE sorcerer supreme. So why didn't they put a scenario at least during training where he didn't use a sling ring to open a portal. Being the sorcerer supreme they should've shown that he doesn't need one. It would have made the movie a lot better if they had done that. Plus they did put a lot of emphasis on the fact that you could not transport without a sling ring. It was practically set up for him to do it without one. I really wish that they would've filled in that plot hole. The last thing I didn't like was all the recycled footage with minor changes. The dark realm is like the sub-atomic from ant man mixed with the outer space ness of Guardians of the galaxy,and Dormammu looked like Paralax from the green lantern movie and Galactus from the second fantastic four movie. Also parts of this movie just felt too fast. When I left the theatre I felt I was only in there four an hour to ninety when really I was was in there for two hours. I loved the movie in all. My favorite thing about the movie is how it all revolves around the theme of time. Like how Doctor strange is always looking at his watch or how he's messing with time or when the ancient one tells him that he should cherish his life because you can't beat death, your days are numbered, and so is your time. Also I loved the building of his suit. He didn't just get it all at once. First he got the robe, then he "stole" the eye of Agamotto, then he became worthy of the cloak of levitation. It was just such a great build up and it was worth it. Another great thing was how he opens the eye of Agamotto. How is hands actuall resemble it made it very well done. Also he doesn't wear the eye of Agamotto all the time because of what Mordo said about messing with time being unnatural. So he doesn't wear it to honor his friend. I would really love to know what your thoughts on this are Grace. Thank you. P.S. sorry this is so long.
well before seeing the movie I was hoping for the same thing like him as THE sorcerer supreme with crazy magical powers and stuff, but after seeing the movie I saw why they didn't go there. He is an apprentice and learning his powers while kind of adventuring onto different paths of magic. I came to accept the fact that he is a student learning his powers and maturing as a hero. I can see your point, but I think having him unlock some "hidden potential power" would just be a bit repeated throughout so many other movies or shows, but wouldn't really go with the story or his character.
I was very disappointed by Wong's Infinity Stone reference. I think they could have improved that by not having Wong or anyone in the local cast knowanything about it but for the time stone to be sensed by someone else in possession of another stone. AFterall don't the stones "want" to be together. That would have allowed someone else across the cosmos to have been introduced and casted.
Really great review. I must admit I had a laugh at the cinema when watching, not because I didn't buy into the premise of the film but simply because I was blown away and my joy at what I was seeing made me chuckle like a clown on mushrooms.
Grace one of the favorite things I like about you is how absolute you are about things. I'm very similar, I respect about you. You'd be correct that Scott Atkins can't act himself out of a paperback. However from someone like myself who is a black belt in martial arts -- for you to say he isn't good at fighting is utterly ridiculous.
I literally just got back from watching Doctor Strange, and OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH. You review is on point! I thought Tilda Swinton really did a fantastic job as the ancient one, and I love how she had a hood up and covering essentially half her face in the very earliest fight sequence with Kaecilius (Mad Mikkelson), and then later it was like OF COURSE! if her hood had been down we would have seen the red mark on her forehead! I also LOVED the use of the multi-doors in the sanctum sanctorum during the fight sequence as I felt it really demonstrated Dr Strange's strength, not necessarily sheer power, but imagination and creativity. Really felt Rachel McAdam's acting really added so much to the scenes actually, so kudos to her! Side character maybe, but they really utilized her to the best of her characters "side" role.
Hey Grace! What do you think the next standalone Doctor Strange movie will look like? Got to see Doctor Strange here in South Korea yesterday and I have to say, I was blown away. I think that the thing I'm most excited about is where they will go next with Doctor Strange (excluding the Avengers movie)
I loved Doctor Strange. But there was this one moment when Strange incarcerates Kaecilius and then the antagonist starts rambling on about Dormammu and I just zoned out because it sounded as if he was mumbling. I found this astonishing because I consider myself a decent comic fan and is well versed in comic movies.
I agree. I TRULY enjoyed the ideological and philosophical aspects of the fight between Strange and Dormammu. He was LITERALLY willing to die over and over again. Think about it. We have no idea how long they were fighting in that time loop. They could have been waging and disputing for 2 years in that loop or a century because time is being endlessly repeated. I love it!
It's so funny that you read Racheal McAdam's nail polish as indicative of her personality. It was a small detail that annoyed me because an actual surgeon wouldn't be wearing nail polish. I'm in my med-surg rotation in nursing school and in general, but especially in an OR, nails should be short and bare. False nails, long nails, and nail polish can harbor bacteria. It was a tiny inaccuracy, but one (especially since it's a rule I have to follow myself) that distracted me from the believability of her character.
I have to disagree about Mordo. I think his turn at the end is totally in character. The problem I had is that I wish they saved it for the sequel. He had the same reaction as Kaecilius. They both had their demons. We know with Kaecilius, his are from loved ones he lost. We don't know what Mordo's are, but I got the idea that it's The Ancient One, and her teachings, that kept his in check. That was taken away from him. I just wish that they would have let it simmer over into the next movie.
I think it's actually CLEVER that they did Inception-like teasers first, not to scare viewers by showing something that they've never seen before. Once the word was out, THEN they showed the unseen. And I think it's good strategy.
Tilda Swinton's Ancient One, I feel was the best character in this movie. Such balance: matriarchal, disciplinarian, wise, conflicted, humorous, delicate, and owned her action scenes.
Loved this film.. I just wished it was longer to give more time to The Ancient One, Kaecilius and Mordo.. Each character felt rushed.. and ended so early, when they could have easily kept them on in a second film.
Acting was awesome, but movie felt like your typical superhero movie: tragedy strikes the hero. hero undergoes training. hero defeats bad guy. Thought they'd do something different since Doc isn't your typical hero.
You are absolutely right. This was THE BEST use of the Infinity stones. This movie set a while new bar for Marvel. The Avengers look like mere mortals against Dr. Strange
I liked that they showed Dormammu has the power to essentially kill all our Marvel heroes over and over again if they ever fought, probably even big bad Thanos himself, and it wasn't just through boring real world style attacks but actual comic book power type attacks. We don't get enough powers shown in Marvel movies. Ronan had pretty much a normal hammer, Iron Man fought robots, Loki still swung his scepter thing around a lot, etc. I was glad they didn't make Dormammu just use boring, over-sized fist attacks. It was too short though, needed more x(
To your Elder Wand comparison; there was no build up because J.K. Rowling literally threw it in for the last book. The film makers couldn't really do much else with it, tbh.
Hello Grace. I'm a big fan of you and I always look forward to your reviews. I'm a big fan of Doctor Strange as well and I was very excited for the movie which I already saw and I loved it. At first you were doubtful about the capabilities of director Derrikson to deliver a good film, even you said he was "stealing" Christopher Nolan's work. But at the end you loved the movie. Do you really think Derrikson stole Nolan's work? Or do you think he based his particular view of Strange's world on Nolan's work? Or even made it more polished? Thank you for reading, and if your time is ok, answer. You can read more questions... right now! :D
I watched this two weeks ago before I actually saw the movie, because face it, I always watch your spoiler reviews for movies I want to see.(: After watching it last night, I do sort of understand the blatant reveal of the Eye as an Infinity Stone. I mean c'mon, does it make sense that people with as much power and ability as these Sorcerers have, to not know about the Infinity Stones? To be able to peer into the vast number of universes, and through time itself, and not somehow have come across the Stones at some point or another? I have friends who indeed are upset that the Eye is a stone rather than being the actual Eye of Agamotto, and I can say that I agree, though it was clever. I also know there was debate over whether it would be the Soul Stone (with my own reasoning being "The Eye is a window to the Soul"), or the Time Stone, which after viewing bits of trailers even before the "Rewind" sequence, it was obvious, the most obvious to me being the reveal of his giant drawer of watches. All in all, I really enjoyed the movie itself, my only real complaint being that the first trip, was indeed a trip, and it sort of lingered on a bit too long for my taste.
oh my god... I just came to a realization as to why this movie was so good. it has so much similarity to Kung Fu Panda! think about it... Doctor Strange doesn't believe he's a sorcerer. Poe doesn't believe he's the dragon warrior. A student goes evil after being denied the ultimate power... a great master dies, leaving the Doctor Strange/Poe alone to learn his own lesson... The Ancient One is pretty much a combination of Master Shifu and oogway. I can't be the only one who realizes this right???
I think Guardians did a good job of building up the reveal of their infinity stone in their film. Plus their movie revolved around it. Though I do agree that the other films have done a poor job in building it up, there was a slight mention of it in Age of Ultron and in one of Thor 2's End Credit scenes
The black nail polish caught my attention also Grace. It has to have some sort of meaning. Also I have to say I am getting more of a chill just hearing you review scenes then I did when I watched the scenes in the movie. Visually I thought it was spectacular and the acting was very good. I loved the cloak but I have to say I didn't walk out of the movie elated with a desire to watch it again like I did with Guardians of the Galaxy. I seen it in IMAX 3D and this type of movie justifies 3D and the sharpness of IMAX
The film reminded me of a City of Bones / Fantastic Four: Silver Surfer hybrid. Saw it last night with Luma Pictures (VFX company) here in Melbourne. They did the opening London scene, the cathedral scene and the Dormammu dimension sequence. Thought all the VFX was great. And I'd probably say it's the best mcu film since the Avengers for me. But it still could have had a stronger plot - quite predictable, but the first act was definitely my favourite.
That Mordo end credit scene was the best end credit scene I've ever seen in a Marvel movie. Because me knowing a lot about Mordo got me extra pumped at where his character goes from now, but perhaps they could've done it differently like him recruiting his own team in order to focus his own cult on the power of mystics. Don't you think it would be cool if somehow Mary Jane Watson was tied in? ;)
I was really hoping to hear your thoughts on the fight when they were running around in New York that was my favourite part!Hopefully in a future video? haha :)
Chiwetel Ejiofor played a similar kind of villain in the Firefly movie. Who I thought was pretty interesting in no small part to his acting. But also admittedly due to the writing so there is the potential for a good villain/possible redemption story.
I can't bring myself to watch a film in theaters with white washing, so I am here to hear about it now to see if I will watch it when it goes to video.
I thought Mordo's change at the end was stupid. Better if Dormammu had taken him. Then we wouldn't know if he was an agent or would be corrupted. Or if he'd been the villain from the beginning like the comics.
saw it today in imax 3d,liked it but found it a little talky but glad I saw it in imax as the effects were awesome in 3d, agree the end credit scenes needed more energy ,interesting when Wong mentioned the infinity stone my eldest son started asking all these questions about the stones where they popped up in the preceding films so it had the effect of generating interest leading up to infinity war, would like to see scarlet witch pop up in the future here
I got a really Galactus-ish feel with Dormammu. I feel like that's the mcu's way of incorporating galactus into their world without infringing on the fantastic four which I think is pretty brilliant.
Forget 'facial hair bros', I need a 'no shit Sherlock' reference when Stark & Strange meet
Haha - that's a great one! :)
Or "Hey you look familiar, have we met before?" when he meets Everett Ross.
yes I need that
Why not both?
+Thomas Lawson of course both would be great but want the Sherlock reference more
What I appreciate most about Doctor Strange is that all of the villain motivations made sense. I understood why Dormammu backed off and why Kaecilius and Mordo turned against The Ancient One.
Agree. I think Kaecilius is just a weak man (person) and I think it's his perceived weakness that makes him appear as a weak villain to some.
I think he's perfect for the movie.
A scene showing him losing his family and becaming obsessed with overcoming death would add a lot to his motivations.
Would be a nice contrast with two characters fighting against death, but one (Kaecilius) trying to achieve immortality, while the other (Strange) accepting that death is what makes life worth.
Duilio Murai bb
The real Doctor is Doctor Fate, after all he came first
When the Ancient One died it hit me hard. Stretching her moment to watch the snow fall ... powerful stuff.
Idk why some British people get offended when people always link us to tea, TEA IS EVERYWHERE HERE!😂
Henry Mitchell some of us don't like it as it's a posh stereotype
Dunno why
Henry Mitchell thanks to the British haha
I don't get it actually because it was the Chinese that invented tea, the word "tea" is Chinese-derived, and more people drink tea in China than Britain.
Tim Tran no. Not really Tea in Europe is mad more there
The Goodfella have you been to China?
The opening fight was all set in London. Ancient One vs those goons.
yes i remember the video of the bystanders when they were filming it. when the ancient one dies. lol
As a Brit, I'm not offended to be linked with tea - and am sipping a nice cuppa right now! :-)
Just with semi-skimmed milk, actually. :-)
Mal from London - I am in the US with Brit blood... 2 cups a day for me. I loved it as long as I can remember!
The thing about not being scared or surprised at a cloak of levitation is that at this point in the marvel cinematic universe, we have people exposed to all these aliens, gods and inhanced individuals. People just dont find things as strange. no pun intended. So I look at it from that point of view to contradict the reality of the common reaction to something out of the oridnary.
The only thing that bugged me about the film is that I felt they could have spent slightly longer explaining some of the terms like the relics. My sister and I had a spat afterwards as to whether you make your own relic or have one imprint itself on you and whether or not the cape was a relic, so it could have done with some slightly clearer explanation.
Mordo is not crazy, he's just a fanatic, he only see things in his own perspective. Mordo hits hill wall but won't change his way.
My top 5 MCU films are
1.) Doctor Strange
2.) Captain America: Civil War
3.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4.) Guardians Of The Galaxy
5.) The Avengers (2012)
5) Thor
4) Avenger (2012)
3)Doctor Strange
2) Civil war
1) GotG
agree but different order for me and add iron man
Great list homie!
1) Doctor Strange
2) The Avengers
3) GOTG
4) Civil War
5) Winter Soldier
Doctor Strange is my favorite superhero and NOW his movie is my favorite superhero film EVER! I've seen IT twice SO far n can't wait to watch IT over and over and over and over again lol.
Devon Sewell YAY me too but in different order
Devon Sewell I meant ya me to
I realized that Rachel McAdams played with both actors who portrayed Sherlock Holmes! Also, I love the sweater Grace!
Emile Vinesh The witch remember that cartoons ? Irma was Rachel ! It was so fucking mindblowing !!!
do you know where she got the sweater
I agree that it was a good idea to make Carmataj like a school. It makes the 'study' of magic very structured.
your greatest praise for Rachel mccadams was that she had shipped nail polish...
Hi Grace! Viewer here from Hong Kong. The street in HK is definitely a set, though extremely true to life. The HK sanctum is a slight modification of a real building, it's (now) a famous Chinese medicine school, a very iconic building called Lui Seng Chun - they basically added the sanctum logo on the top. It's positioned next to a market street, just like in the movie, but not quite the same ;) Just a little trivia for you.
Thanks for the great review! Love watching your stuff.
Thanks for that info, Melody, very interesting! And that's cool you live in Hong Kong! I've always wanted to go there!
It's a great city to visit, Grace - come any time! Though weather is best Nov-Apr. Several movies have been partially filmed here in the past few years (Transformers 4, Ip Man 3, Already Tmw in HK). Also, theatre prices are a bit lower than in NA, which is nice.
I live really close to Lui Seng Chun, so I definitely would've noticed if Benedi... I mean, if a movie had been filmed there ;)
Why is The Ancient One a woman in the movie when in the comics she's a man from Tibet?
Beyond The Trailer How do you get so many clips from the movies your reviewing to use during the review?
Avatariuz To not offend the Chinese government.
Incoming stupid comments 'you couldn't wait a few more days before posting spoilers?'
Please just....
Music Oh, and you told him he had bad taste... Makes you even more of a hypocrite.
Music Yea, argue by insulting the opposite over and over again. I'm referring to the many times you insult others, nor bring down a persons point of view, just to bring up "Marvel's crap" over and over again. You treat this as if your opinion is the towering pinnacle, and insult others as "marvel ass lickers" or "marvel fan cunt". I'm not any of those either, I'm a comic book fan, meaning I enjoy everything. Unless it shouldn't of been, such as bvs, iron man 2, Incredible Hulk etc. Atleast state "Oh this is just my opinion btw" or use the two words (or generally one letter, one word) "I think".
Also, know ones perfect. Expect everyone to include perfect grammar in a fucking comment section.
Last thing, you better stop liking your own comment, and don't deny it.
Music Obviously, He is a comic fan if his profile pic is Blue Beetle
So you guys are still going back and forth huh.
*****
Lol was this comment meant to hurt my feelings? Honey think of something better next time. Don't embarrass yourself now.
Loved this movie from beginning to end!!! mind blowing effects, well balance in humor an action plus top acting, specially from Cumberbatch who in my opinion has provided the best performance ever in an MCU movie.
The most well rounded film Marvel has produced since Winter Soldier
I'm sure Mads Mikkelsen was great in his fight scenes. He's a former ballet dancer so his sense of his own physicality is amazing. His fights in the goofy Three Musketeers movie were also beautiful. He was actually one of my top choices to play Doctor Strange himself so it salts the wounds a bit to see him wasted this way.
I have to say my favourite Tilda Swinton moment was when Strange confirmed the Ancient One had been siphoning Dormammu's power to extend her life. Mordo just explodes on her, but she's keeping her compose, the same self-confident smile on her face as before. Or trying to: Her jaw was trembling, hanging just a bit ajar, like she couldn't at that moment quite remember HOW to smile. A tinge of panic in her eyes.
I think that moment made her later being so willing to just let go make a whole lot more sense, since it struck her that she had lost or was very close to losing her path, and had she went on, she'd come to see that look of sheer disappointment in the eyes of those who trusted her again and again. Having done so even once had been almost more than she could bear.
J. Halme nice interpretation.
that wide shot in new york in which strange is falling through the skyscrapers was sooo mindblowing. that whoke sequence in ny was amazing tbh, really enjoyed this movie and plus, those things ancient one said before she died really resonated with me, since i used to have anxiety issues because of overthinking, sometimes about death and how we perceive the world. really good movie, a basic origin movie for certain, but if they did this with an origib story, i cannot wait for what's in store from now on!
My favourite bit in the end title was the entreaty to the audience to drive responsibly, which was lucky because I was going to drive my car off a cliff having been so excited by seeing Dr. Strange do that in the film, I am that stupid.
i thought Scott Adkins did well as an extra here. his soul had a good fight with strange's in the hospital scene as his body got choked by the cloak
Couple of few others. Go tweet him about it or something...
London had a sequence in the beginning of the film, Grace. Love your vids!
Skyebright1 yep
I think Doctor strange is my second fav movie this year
Civil war
Dr strange
Deadpool (both DS and DP a 9/10)
Suicide squad
BVS
Dan B where's deadpool at brah ?
Sam Thomas fuck I forgot
Gonna edit it 😂
Do you mean superhero movies this year, not all movies this year since you only listed superhero movies?
mk6rfc1 yeah I mean superhero films
rfxone marvall no never watched a X men movie
Unless Deadpool counts
So, The Ancient One being White was bad but Mordo being Black was good?
Ben Rhodes You realize 99 percent of characters in the movie are white. Stop complaining
+Chatroom Goon It's still hypocritical. If you are against 'whitewashing' then you should be against the reversal. But really it's all nonsense. An actor becomes his character, it shouldn't matter his race. That is like getting upset that Kats isn't played by real cats.
The reason ancient one is a white female is the original comic version is from Tibet. And tibet in real world is under China, which China funds this movie. So there you go.
Tilda Swinton's a great actress, so I don't care who she plays as long as she is in the movie
loganski dude They are all great actors in forgettable roles. Marvel could have saved more money by using other less known actor who could delivered same acting results in the movie.
Ive seen these great actors deliver great stories, they could have done it with this movie but no.
The moment you realise that Doctor Strange is better than BvS
It's not. Two completely different movies
Darrel Be i enjoyed bvs and own it but doctor strange is the better film regardless of if it's a different movie.
Jay Jay I strongly disagree but Doc Strange might just be one of the best superhero films of all time
Captain Scarlet that's a lie..
I don't know what's better but personally I loved doctor strange whilst not liking bvs too much.
I was blown away that Doctor Strange was prepared to die forever to save mankind. Incredible humility and sacrifice.
Wong will have more to do. The reason he didn't in this one was because they had to show the Strange/Mordo dynamic. In the next one it'll be Strange/Wong v Mordo
This is AN EXELLENTLY GREAT MOVIE!! VERY MIND-BLOWING!! To be honest, I am going to ADD THIS to my All-Time Greatest Movies. VERY WELL MADE.
About fighting Dormammu. We also don't know how long and how many times that fight took place. Dormammu also remembered each and everyone just as Strange does.
Absolutely, totally agree with your review Grace. This film took me by surprise and has now taken a very high place in my list of top Marvel movies and made Dr Strange one of my favourite characters. It was well acted, paced, written and executed. It’s made me go and read the comics, mainly late 60’s and 70’s and I thought the character was fantastic in IFW. Really looking forward to the sequel. Give me a heart Grace, just this once.👍
Love that new Marvel Studios intro and Tilda Swinton's performance. Cumberbatch is Dr. Strange
GRACE! Where did you get your sweater!?
The Disney Store online! :)
I need to know!! It's amazing :D ♥
Marvel MXYZ Sweatshirt for Women
OMG it costs 45$ shipping to germany x___x i shouldn't have gotten my hopes up :S
One of my favorite things about this movie was the score. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Doctor Strange is the first Marvel hero with his own theme that plays through out the movie. Bravo, Michael Giacchino!
The guy your talking about that strange thought was the Ancient One is actually Wong's Father in the comics. his name is Hamir the Hermit, servant to and also poisoned the Ancient One.
For Stark, it's always about himself ......
I saw the film yesterday and I love it!
Also, I realized that Rachel McAdams starred in Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock. Now, she is starring with TV's Sherlock Holmes Benedict Cumberbatch in a Marvel film in which Robert Downey Jr. is also a part of the same cinematic universe.
rfxone marvall that i know. But Rachel McAdams has not been in a film with Martin Freeman.
Your analysis of coming to a wall and having to adapt and adjust really spoke to me. Living with a disability, I've had to let go of dreams and find hope in a new way of doing things that I used to take for granted. It has helped me be more grateful for the blessings I do have. This is one of my top three Marvel films.
A visually amazing movie but i thought they came up short on Stranges story and explaining alot of artifacts and characters origins. Enjoyed it a lot but deffinitely room for improvement in my book.
"I mean i guess it gave vision life" "Which was kinda a big deal" hahahaha i love you grace.
The one thing that didn't make sense to me at all was that they let him keep the eye. It's crucial to the plot that he has it but it makes to sense that they would catch him using it, lecture him to never use it again and then just let him wear it as a necklace and trust him to only use it as an accessory.
Well, if you want to be kind with the writers, you can say that Wong would have made him put it back in place again after the lesson he gives him in the library about why it is dangerous to use this kind of magic, but they were attacked before the end of that lesson by the bad guys. After which they were kind of hurrying everywhere all the time and you could argue they would have other things in mind... It's a little stretched, in the sense that I would have made the guy put it back where it belongs at once, but I can be understanding with the script since I liked the movie :-D
Yeah but even so they had several calm moments with him wearing the thing and it's so huge and obvious that they can't possibly have not noticed it... And Mordo got super upset with him for using it so he logically would also have gotten pretty upset seeing him wear it. Just doesn't make sense that he would be so upset about him using it but not care at all that he had just been wearing it all that time.
Lol exactly, all those artifacts "dangerous" ones, lying over there just to take and no guards at all. And the book ! Its right there shiny among other books which has more dangerous context. Me and a friend end up laughing on how ridiculous it was.
Strange DID hit another car, the driver of which I'd image called for help after they saw Strange's car tumble off the cliff immediately afterwards.
On a largely unrelated note, the one thing I hated about Deadpool was that in the film he causes a huge traffic accident that sees cars being capsized and crushed all around, basically for no other reason than to make a cool entry, and no one deigns to point out all the horrific injuries and gruesome deaths he likely caused to innocent passers-by in the process. It's really the kind of thing after which a character like Colossus should be giving him a steel knuckle sandwich rather than a stern talking-to, since it's pretty much straight-up super villain shit.
wtf scott Adkins not a good fighter. he did the final fight in xmen origins no strings all skill. boyka films universal soldier hes one of the best and one of a few young action heros left c mon lolol
As far as I know, in some hospitals/facilities painting your nails is not allowed. Here in Mexico, my girlfriend (currently studying to become a nurse) has told me several times that she's not allowed to do that, so when the Night Nurse showed her hands it took me out of the picture for a moment.
I just caught up with this film, & watched the spoiler review with fascination. I liked the film very much--it had a different pace than the other MCU films, & I didn't mind the unrealistic elements ("willing suspension of disbelief"). Cumberbatch had great conviction & gave it his all, which I appreciated. Note this film "put the world back together" like "Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them" did--released just a few weeks later.
I only noticed it on my second time watching, Mads Mikkelsen was tearing up while he was talking to Strange while he was in that kinky device. I noticed his eyes were too watery, and you would see tears fall through his face and probably mess up a very tiny bit of the red/purple thing around his eyes haha
I think that was not intentional, but instead was the makeup used made his eyes hurt lolll
Did you ever think the guy laughing at the 1st trip was doing it out of joy or surprise? I smiled throughout that whole part and that's basically me howling
I laughed during Strange's first trip. Not because it was ineffective, but because his reaction was hilarious. You could identify with him having his mind blown. Don't be to quick to judge, Grace. Your assessment of the cape was spot on. Carpet from Aladdin was a great comparison. I thought about the car crash like you did. I rationalized that they traced his cell phone when he didn't show up at the lecture. a stretch, but still possible.
I actually made myself a cup of tea and put a little bit of honey😂😂
What I missed from this movie was the one thing I understand not using, spells! He didn't say, 'By the Flames of the Faltine!' or 'By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!' because hee doesn't know spells. He was a fast learner but a hack, I would love to see him in the second movie really learn his craft to become the 'Sorcerer Supreme'
29:47 - 29:52 Marvel was like: *"Your wish is my command!"* 😂😂😂
I know that this is picky but I really didn't like how they didn't put any emphasis on the eye of agamotto being an infinity stone. They just brushed over it like it was no big deal, but it really was. Also Doctor Strange is like THE sorcerer supreme. So why didn't they put a scenario at least during training where he didn't use a sling ring to open a portal. Being the sorcerer supreme they should've shown that he doesn't need one. It would have made the movie a lot better if they had done that. Plus they did put a lot of emphasis on the fact that you could not transport without a sling ring. It was practically set up for him to do it without one. I really wish that they would've filled in that plot hole. The last thing I didn't like was all the recycled footage with minor changes. The dark realm is like the sub-atomic from ant man mixed with the outer space ness of Guardians of the galaxy,and Dormammu looked like Paralax from the green lantern movie and Galactus from the second fantastic four movie. Also parts of this movie just felt too fast. When I left the theatre I felt I was only in there four an hour to ninety when really I was was in there for two hours. I loved the movie in all. My favorite thing about the movie is how it all revolves around the theme of time. Like how Doctor strange is always looking at his watch or how he's messing with time or when the ancient one tells him that he should cherish his life because you can't beat death, your days are numbered, and so is your time. Also I loved the building of his suit. He didn't just get it all at once. First he got the robe, then he "stole" the eye of Agamotto, then he became worthy of the cloak of levitation. It was just such a great build up and it was worth it. Another great thing was how he opens the eye of Agamotto. How is hands actuall resemble it made it very well done. Also he doesn't wear the eye of Agamotto all the time because of what Mordo said about messing with time being unnatural. So he doesn't wear it to honor his friend. I would really love to know what your thoughts on this are Grace. Thank you. P.S. sorry this is so long.
well before seeing the movie I was hoping for the same thing like him as THE sorcerer supreme with crazy magical powers and stuff, but after seeing the movie I saw why they didn't go there. He is an apprentice and learning his powers while kind of adventuring onto different paths of magic. I came to accept the fact that he is a student learning his powers and maturing as a hero. I can see your point, but I think having him unlock some "hidden potential power" would just be a bit repeated throughout so many other movies or shows, but wouldn't really go with the story or his character.
The elder wand was actually a bid deal in HP
i also wanna see how Dr Strange handles Thanos since he is one of the few characters at base level who can
According to IMDB, Scott Adkins' character is called Lucian. I'm super disappointed they didn't call him that in the movie.
AS soon as I saw him I was like Oh Shit! UNDISPUTED 3!!
I was very disappointed by Wong's Infinity Stone reference. I think they could have improved that by not having Wong or anyone in the local cast knowanything about it but for the time stone to be sensed by someone else in possession of another stone. AFterall don't the stones "want" to be together. That would have allowed someone else across the cosmos to have been introduced and casted.
that would've been cool I wanted more explanation to strange but it could just be vision in upstate new York waking up going wahhhhhh!!
Really great review. I must admit I had a laugh at the cinema when watching, not because I didn't buy into the premise of the film but simply because I was blown away and my joy at what I was seeing made me chuckle like a clown on mushrooms.
Grace one of the favorite things I like about you is how absolute you are about things. I'm very similar, I respect about you.
You'd be correct that Scott Atkins can't act himself out of a paperback.
However from someone like myself who is a black belt in martial arts -- for you to say he isn't good at fighting is utterly ridiculous.
I literally just got back from watching Doctor Strange, and OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH. You review is on point! I thought Tilda Swinton really did a fantastic job as the ancient one, and I love how she had a hood up and covering essentially half her face in the very earliest fight sequence with Kaecilius (Mad Mikkelson), and then later it was like OF COURSE! if her hood had been down we would have seen the red mark on her forehead!
I also LOVED the use of the multi-doors in the sanctum sanctorum during the fight sequence as I felt it really demonstrated Dr Strange's strength, not necessarily sheer power, but imagination and creativity.
Really felt Rachel McAdam's acting really added so much to the scenes actually, so kudos to her! Side character maybe, but they really utilized her to the best of her characters "side" role.
Dr. Strange is by far and away my favorite Marvel film!
Hey Grace! What do you think the next standalone Doctor Strange movie will look like? Got to see Doctor Strange here in South Korea yesterday and I have to say, I was blown away. I think that the thing I'm most excited about is where they will go next with Doctor Strange (excluding the Avengers movie)
How do you get so many clips from the movies your reviewing to use during the review?
I loved Doctor Strange.
But there was this one moment when Strange incarcerates Kaecilius and then the antagonist starts rambling on about Dormammu and I just zoned out because it sounded as if he was mumbling. I found this astonishing because I consider myself a decent comic fan and is well versed in comic movies.
I agree. I TRULY enjoyed the ideological and philosophical aspects of the fight between Strange and Dormammu. He was LITERALLY willing to die over and over again. Think about it. We have no idea how long they were fighting in that time loop. They could have been waging and disputing for 2 years in that loop or a century because time is being endlessly repeated. I love it!
It's so funny that you read Racheal McAdam's nail polish as indicative of her personality. It was a small detail that annoyed me because an actual surgeon wouldn't be wearing nail polish. I'm in my med-surg rotation in nursing school and in general, but especially in an OR, nails should be short and bare. False nails, long nails, and nail polish can harbor bacteria. It was a tiny inaccuracy, but one (especially since it's a rule I have to follow myself) that distracted me from the believability of her character.
I have to disagree about Mordo. I think his turn at the end is totally in character. The problem I had is that I wish they saved it for the sequel. He had the same reaction as Kaecilius. They both had their demons. We know with Kaecilius, his are from loved ones he lost. We don't know what Mordo's are, but I got the idea that it's The Ancient One, and her teachings, that kept his in check. That was taken away from him. I just wish that they would have let it simmer over into the next movie.
I think it's actually CLEVER that they did Inception-like teasers first, not to scare viewers by showing something that they've never seen before. Once the word was out, THEN they showed the unseen. And I think it's good strategy.
Don't watch it in 4D if you are 6'5" I felt like I was in a car crash with Doctor Strange. Still loved the movie lol
Tilda Swinton's Ancient One, I feel was the best character in this movie. Such balance: matriarchal, disciplinarian, wise, conflicted, humorous, delicate, and owned her action scenes.
Loved this film.. I just wished it was longer to give more time to The Ancient One, Kaecilius and Mordo.. Each character felt rushed.. and ended so early, when they could have easily kept them on in a second film.
I think this is the first movie I've evar watched in I-Max 3D and I have to say it was definatly worth the money!
Acting was awesome, but movie felt like your typical superhero movie: tragedy strikes the hero. hero undergoes training. hero defeats bad guy. Thought they'd do something different since Doc isn't your typical hero.
You are absolutely right. This was THE BEST use of the Infinity stones. This movie set a while new bar for Marvel. The Avengers look like mere mortals against Dr. Strange
I'm British and I'm not offended about being linked with tea. I have several cups of tea a day. Proudly. lol
I liked that they showed Dormammu has the power to essentially kill all our Marvel heroes over and over again if they ever fought, probably even big bad Thanos himself, and it wasn't just through boring real world style attacks but actual comic book power type attacks. We don't get enough powers shown in Marvel movies. Ronan had pretty much a normal hammer, Iron Man fought robots, Loki still swung his scepter thing around a lot, etc. I was glad they didn't make Dormammu just use boring, over-sized fist attacks. It was too short though, needed more x(
Spoilers: Was it me or did Kaecilius and his followers turn into Mindless Ones when they were taken to the Dark Dimensions?
To your Elder Wand comparison; there was no build up because J.K. Rowling literally threw it in for the last book. The film makers couldn't really do much else with it, tbh.
Did you forget about Benjamin Brat being in this movie? I love his delivery of the line, "Im not talking about money."
Dr Strange got me really looking forward to his encounter with Tony. I can feel the chemistry just from his interaction with thor! It felt so surreal.
Hello Grace. I'm a big fan of you and I always look forward to your reviews. I'm a big fan of Doctor Strange as well and I was very excited for the movie which I already saw and I loved it. At first you were doubtful about the capabilities of director Derrikson to deliver a good film, even you said he was "stealing" Christopher Nolan's work. But at the end you loved the movie. Do you really think Derrikson stole Nolan's work? Or do you think he based his particular view of Strange's world on Nolan's work? Or even made it more polished? Thank you for reading, and if your time is ok, answer. You can read more questions... right now! :D
I watched this two weeks ago before I actually saw the movie, because face it, I always watch your spoiler reviews for movies I want to see.(: After watching it last night, I do sort of understand the blatant reveal of the Eye as an Infinity Stone. I mean c'mon, does it make sense that people with as much power and ability as these Sorcerers have, to not know about the Infinity Stones? To be able to peer into the vast number of universes, and through time itself, and not somehow have come across the Stones at some point or another? I have friends who indeed are upset that the Eye is a stone rather than being the actual Eye of Agamotto, and I can say that I agree, though it was clever. I also know there was debate over whether it would be the Soul Stone (with my own reasoning being "The Eye is a window to the Soul"), or the Time Stone, which after viewing bits of trailers even before the "Rewind" sequence, it was obvious, the most obvious to me being the reveal of his giant drawer of watches. All in all, I really enjoyed the movie itself, my only real complaint being that the first trip, was indeed a trip, and it sort of lingered on a bit too long for my taste.
oh my god... I just came to a realization as to why this movie was so good. it has so much similarity to Kung Fu Panda! think about it... Doctor Strange doesn't believe he's a sorcerer. Poe doesn't believe he's the dragon warrior. A student goes evil after being denied the ultimate power... a great master dies, leaving the Doctor Strange/Poe alone to learn his own lesson... The Ancient One is pretty much a combination of Master Shifu and oogway. I can't be the only one who realizes this right???
I think Guardians did a good job of building up the reveal of their infinity stone in their film. Plus their movie revolved around it. Though I do agree that the other films have done a poor job in building it up, there was a slight mention of it in Age of Ultron and in one of Thor 2's End Credit scenes
Wonderful video, as always. Just wondering, do you think Mordo was justified in getting so upset with the ancient one for using dark energy
now that i think about it, the villains just be like: "imma destroy things so my god can arrive." lol
About the car crash... He hit a car and it wasn't an empty road. They would have reported the crash to have a rescue team to search for him.
The black nail polish caught my attention also Grace. It has to have some sort of meaning. Also I have to say I am getting more of a chill just hearing you review scenes then I did when I watched the scenes in the movie. Visually I thought it was spectacular and the acting was very good. I loved the cloak but I have to say I didn't walk out of the movie elated with a desire to watch it again like I did with Guardians of the Galaxy. I seen it in IMAX 3D and this type of movie justifies 3D and the sharpness of IMAX
The film reminded me of a City of Bones / Fantastic Four: Silver Surfer hybrid.
Saw it last night with Luma Pictures (VFX company) here in Melbourne. They did the opening London scene, the cathedral scene and the Dormammu dimension sequence. Thought all the VFX was great.
And I'd probably say it's the best mcu film since the Avengers for me. But it still could have had a stronger plot - quite predictable, but the first act was definitely my favourite.
That Mordo end credit scene was the best end credit scene I've ever seen in a Marvel movie. Because me knowing a lot about Mordo got me extra pumped at where his character goes from now, but perhaps they could've done it differently like him recruiting his own team in order to focus his own cult on the power of mystics. Don't you think it would be cool if somehow Mary Jane Watson was tied in? ;)
Chiwetel Ejiofor did not go crazy at the end. He did not want to tap into the dark powers of Dormammu.
I was really hoping to hear your thoughts on the fight when they were running around in New York that was my favourite part!Hopefully in a future video? haha :)
Chiwetel Ejiofor played a similar kind of villain in the Firefly movie. Who I thought was pretty interesting in no small part to his acting. But also admittedly due to the writing so there is the potential for a good villain/possible redemption story.
I can't bring myself to watch a film in theaters with white washing, so I am here to hear about it now to see if I will watch it when it goes to video.
LOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One thing that bothered me is the sudden change of altitude on mt. Everest. Their lungs should have collapsed the moment they stepped out.
I thought Mordo's change at the end was stupid. Better if Dormammu had taken him. Then we wouldn't know if he was an agent or would be corrupted. Or if he'd been the villain from the beginning like the comics.
saw it today in imax 3d,liked it but found it a little talky but glad I saw it in imax as the effects were awesome in 3d, agree the end credit scenes needed more energy ,interesting when Wong mentioned the infinity stone my eldest son started asking all these questions about the stones where they popped up in the preceding films so it had the effect of generating interest leading up to infinity war, would like to see scarlet witch pop up in the future here
it's a great movie, never felt this again since the first Ironman movie!
this movie actually is like the first Ironman movie
If a cloak or an object would 'choose you'. Would you 'pet it' as if it was a living thing since it 'reacts' to you?
Enchanted by an object choosing you?
Grace we'll make a Harry Potter fan of you yet
I got a really Galactus-ish feel with Dormammu. I feel like that's the mcu's way of incorporating galactus into their world without infringing on the fantastic four which I think is pretty brilliant.