DOCTER STRANGE: Reconsidered
The film got a pass for the great visuals. Limited in other areas.
A very quick open with Baddie trying to steal the Eye of Agi-Magi, kills some goodies, thwarted and steals magic page on way out. Ancient One shows up later like Yoda.
It’s too bad they didn’t have the CapAm:WS experience going into the development. I thought it could have used a dose of Avengers and a sidekick. Black Iron Man (BIM) was well positioned after Civil War. He could show up at the ER and Doc Chick gets consultation for him with maybe Stark insisting on the best specialists. Maybe Scarlet Witch could escape and go searching for power from the baddies. BIM and Strange learn about ability to heal in the East and set off together as an odd couple.
The over-arching problem seemed to be a tentativeness or lack of commitment. It had a romance, but not much. It had humor, but not much. It had some buddy relationship, but not much… BC seems to have the chops for romance and humor but the material didn’t develop it fully. Being kind of an asshole can be good for developing relationships if played all the way. Magic dudes in capes is silly, commit to humor of it.
Chick and Strange haven’t kissed. He had invited her to a couple of conferences trying to get her to switch specialties and tells her that this next conference will be their third date. She says nooop and is concerned about Strange leaving NYC to go home to London hospital. She tries to help him but he pushes her away and then looks longingly after her as she leaves.
They get to the East and hit their bottom in the gutter rejected. Ancient One was great as Ginger. She was very ambiguous. Even more of that. Strange is invited in but BIM must be left out. Told the purpose of bodies that break down is for spirit to overcome and grow. Strange is urged on by BIM and almost goes in without him, stops and returns, struggles with broken hands to put BIM on back and carries BIM in, stops and defiantly says the purpose of broken bodies is to be healed, AO watches them pass with slight little smile.
Eye of AgiMagi generates a time bubble where time passes more quickly than regular world. Strange learns about Eye and meets Cape right at first. Strange wants the Eye as his one allowed talisman but Cape follows him like a puppy. Strange says it seems like a very charming item of outerwear but a surgeon cannot tell his patients “I’ll make a three inch incision, insert the endoscope, and oh, do you like my cape.” BIM is nice to Cape. They train, Strange gets some grey and a goatee, and BIM finds enough spirit to overcome and regain some ability.
Even more far-out visuals, S Witch might be bad now, BIM and Cape help Strange survive, meet-up with Chick who thinks he’s only been gone a few days and is really bothered by floating capes “Sooooo, you wear a cape now.” Big battle, Witch doesn’t get what she wants and helps Strange at a crucial point and they destroy baddie but Strange is sucked into another dimension.
Chick and Strange meet on chilly rooftop, it’s all too strange, cape wraps itself around her and gently nudges her back to Strange, he confesses true feelings and they kiss.