Dr. Strange 2 (spoilers)

[Panic]

Strange probably isn't a character for you and, if you aren't a horror fan, the film likely isn't either.

The first film captured the mysticism aspect of the character and this touched upon the horror. All we need is a third film mixing the two together and we will be set.

Neither films captured Doctor Strange's classic personality. They are determined to portray him as an arrogant smart-arse, though in the comics (up until the Architects era) he is serious and respected. Infinity War is his best showing, imo, because he is the straight-man for the most part. It just works better to portray him as the classic wise-man he was created to be.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Neither films captured Doctor Strange's classic personality. They are determined to portray him as an arrogant smart-arse, though in the comics (up until the Architects era) he is serious and respected. Infinity War is his best showing, imo, because he is the straight-man for the most part. It just works better to portray him as the classic wise-man he was created to be.

The issue with depicting him as the wise mentor figure is that no one cares about the mentor, they care about the guy being trained.

I do like how the resolution was more emotional than magic based, though

[Somecrazyaussie]

Neither films captured Doctor Strange's classic personality. They are determined to portray him as an arrogant smart-arse, though in the comics (up until the Architects era) he is serious and respected. Infinity War is his best showing, imo, because he is the straight-man for the most part. It just works better to portray him as the classic wise-man he was created to be.

They done that with all the characters to a degree. Tony was never depicted as he was in the MCU before RDjr was cast. Thor now acts more like Hercules would. Even Peter Quill didn't act like he does in the GoTG films in the comics. But I think that stems more from the actors performance choices than anything Marvel has determined they should be played.

And everybody had a decent showing in Infinity War because the whole film called for them to be so (until Endgame came afterwards).

[Panic]

They done that with all the characters to a degree. Tony was never depicted as he was in the MCU before RDjr was cast. Thor now acts more like Hercules would. Even Peter Quill didn't act like he does in the GoTG films in the comics. But I think that stems more from the actors performance choices than anything Marvel has determined they should be played.

And everybody had a decent showing in Infinity War because the whole film called for them to be so (until Endgame came afterwards).

No, Star Lord had play the idiot who screwed things up for everyone, and Hulk was a coward. Particularly fans of the Hulk assumed he'd find his courage and beat Thanos down a little, but that didn't happen. Instead he got to play non-combatant professor, something no Hulk fan wanted.

[Alpha]

No, Star Lord had play the idiot who screwed things up for everyone, and Hulk was a coward. Particularly fans of the Hulk assumed he'd find his courage and beat Thanos down a little, but that didn't happen. Instead he got to play non-combatant professor, something no Hulk fan wanted.

Star Lord was one of my favourite characters in Infinity War. His arch and Wanda's arc in that same movie were so fcking compelling. He wasn't an idiot, he just lost control after going through one of the worst things imagineable and everyone else paid the price. Awful, but I can totally sympathize

[Totoro Man]

Star Lord was one of my favourite characters in Infinity War. His arch and Wanda's arc in that same movie were so fcking compelling. He wasn't an idiot, he just lost control after going through one of the worst things imagineable and everyone else paid the price. Awful, but I can totally sympathize

yeah, I saw him (Star Lord) as having the same arc as Iron Man in 'Civil War'. they both lost people they cared about, learned who was responsible, and then completely snapped. they at LEAST bothered to have a compelling motivation and try to keep them in character.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Star Lord was one of my favourite characters in Infinity War. His arch and Wanda's arc in that same movie were so fcking compelling. He wasn't an idiot, he just lost control after going through one of the worst things imagineable and everyone else paid the price. Awful, but I can totally sympathize

Same.

I mean, bear in mind it was his plan that captured Thanos.

Really, the fight on Titan was the consequences of a lot of bad choices up until then.

If the guardians hadn't shown up like they did, Tony would have been fighting Thanos with only Dr. Strange and Spider-Man. Does anyone think that would have gone well?

And speaking of that battle and this movie, am I the only one who finds it odd that some rando at Christine's wedding knew that Dr. Strange used the time stone to view what may or may not happen?

IMO, the MCU's been good with internal logic overall, but sometimes it seems like the civilians are watching the same movies we are.

[Alpha]

yeah, I saw him (Star Lord) as having the same arc as Iron Man in 'Civil War'. they both lost people they cared about, learned who was responsible, and then completely snapped. they at LEAST bothered to have a compelling motivation and try to keep them in character.

It wasn't just that he lost Gamora. It was way bigger. The one thing Star Lord has never been able to do is handle death.

The first Guardians of the Galaxy showed how to some degree Gamora evoked the kind of love and guilt Peter felt with his mother (take my hand!) and while he got better with that over time, it was still heart breaking when Gamora asked HIM to kill the person he most loved, the first person he opened his heart too in a long time. Peter is the last person who should have to make that choice. And when they went after the collector he hatched a plan to catch Thanossecretly and everyone disobeyed him putting Gamora in the exact place she shouldn't be in, the place where Quill would have to do the one thing he was too emotionally unstanle to do. But he still did it, he actually shot the gun! (And had to close his eyes) And it meant nothing. Thanos made his sacrifice mean nothing by turning the shot into bubbles. Quill had "technically" failed, but at least Gamora was alive. And then he finds out Gamora still died. Everything he did , everything he felt (because remember that he still went through the emotion of killing her despite failing), it was all meaningless. Thanos killed Gamora anyway and got away with it. Thanos even said "he had to do it"

[I'm a Fish]

I loved the Illuminati getting murked, nothing wrong with subverting expectations which this movie does multiple times. Also reinforces the core themes about arrogance and hubris. Strange warned them, the Illuminati ignored him so self sure they could deal with Wanda...and died horribly for it.

Aren’t the Illuminati grad A jerks in the comics too?

[DigiCom]

Not gonna lie, I was hoping they'd reveal someone was behind Wanda. All the mentions of dreams had me prepared for Nightmare

They still might. Nobody explained WHY dreams link Multiversal alternates, nor where the "souls of the damned" came from...

[AnakinFlair]

From the moment Carter threw her shield to try and intimidate a prisoner they planned to execute I had no sympathy for them. Except for Xavier he is the only one that seems not an a hole. Reed was maybe only half of one but he was too arrogant. The other 4 just sucked as people.

The Illuminati did seem to be there for fan service, but frankly I didn't mind that. I would like to see Anson Mount return as the 616 Black Bolt, and I hope they keep Krasinski as Reed Richards in the new F4 movie. I'd also love to see a live-action Captain Carter movie.

Just got back, my biggest complaint about the movie was that the AMC I was in cranked the audio all the way to 11, which really hurt. I also realized that this will be the last time I see a movie in 3-D, unless I can find my own glasses that fit over my prescription glasses better than theirs did.

I didn't have the problem with the effects and settings that some people seem to have had, but then again the 3-D really messed with my viewing experience. I need to see it again in 2-D to get a better feel for it.

I don't know America Chavez. I know she exists, and that she's run with the Young Avengers. But I haven't read a lot of her, so I have no history with the character. That said, I really enjoyed her here. Someone mentioned they didn't like how they nerfed her powers; but now she's training at Kamar Taj, so she can organically grown into those powers.

I like how it appears that Strange and Mordo have had run-ins with each other outside of the films; it helps it feel like a bigger universe. Also, Strange has seriously upped his fighting game.

Lots of people have complained about Wanda. Two things- first, I can accept she's gone mad due to the Darkhold. Strange said that book takes a heavy toll on the reader, and it obviously played on her grief to turn her into the darkest version of herself. Second- I read Avengers: Disassembled. This Wanda was straight out of that book.

I do wonder if she is truly dead. When Mount Wundagore fell, there was an explosion of red energy. That could have either been her dying, or it could have been her escaping. She did seem to absorb some of Chavez's power- maybe she transported herself to somewhere else.

I was surprised they didn't bring the twins into the main MCU universe (I wish they hadn't called it the 616 universe. I know WHY they did it, but I would have preferred them to call it something else and save 616 for the comics.). They seem to be building up to the Young Avengers- so far we have Kate Bishop and Eli Bradley; we had the Twins previously (and it felt like they were preparing to bring them in officially at the end of WandaVision!), and I have a theory that they were planning on making Harley (that kid from Iron Man 3, who inexplicably showed up at Tony's funeral) the new Iron Lad, replacing Young Kang from the comics. And now we have Chavez. So I wonder how soon they will finally announce that project.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Loved Raimi's direction, there were a few jump-scares that got me, and the horror elements were shockingly hard for what I thought would be allowed in a MCU movie. And Charlize finally gets a roll in the MCU. So, I'm looking forward to the third movie, whenever it comes.

[GenericUsername]

Lots of people have complained about Wanda. Two things- first, I can accept she's gone mad due to the Darkhold. Strange said that book takes a heavy toll on the reader, and it obviously played on her grief to turn her into the darkest version of herself. Second- I read Avengers: Disassembled. This Wanda was straight out of that book.

We do know this but it was the worst story to bring about. My only hope is they allow her to help undo the incursions and don't just have her disappear like she did post AD-HoM. It also doesn't help that it's still reductive to her.

[Username taken]

OK. I watched it a second time and I can put down my thoughts better.

1. It was VERY much a Sam Raimi movie. It was filled with his style and this movie really pushed the PG-13 rating, a lot of people were legit frightened at some scenes in the movie. The ending sequence with "Undead Strange" was definitely one of the more bizarre scenes out of a Marvel movie.

2. It's a very strange movie (pun fully intended) because it really had no proper story beginning and no proper ending. Ultimately it was more a sequel to Wandavision than it was Dr Strange sequel.

3. The Illuminati as I mentioned earlier were just fodder and fan service. I guess now that we have incursions an Illuminati will be set up on Earth 616 (as someone pointed out, I wish they hadn't called it Earth-616).

4. I can see why Benedict Cumberbatch was worried about Strange's development in the movie. Ultimately, his actions didn't drive the plot of the movie forward as he was just reacting to everything around him.

5. Elizabeth Olsen was the MVP of the movie. I didn't like what they did with Wanda because I feel there are still stories to be told about her (her fate was ambiguous and I don't she died). Although it's understandable that she was corrupted by the Darkhold but this wouldn't have been the next story I would have told with her. However, if we count her as a villain, she was easily the best villain of the MCU so far. Despite Wanda going as far as she did Olsen always kept that sadness in her performance and you could see that she did indeed struggle with what she was doing at some points.

6. Dr. Strange seemed a lot weaker here than he did in Endgame. I guess that could be because he doesn't have an Infinity Stone anymore (?).

7. America Chavez was more of a plot device here than anything else. Although the actress playing her has a charm to her.

[mace11]

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness SPOILER Review

Holden Hardman

[Hulkout42]

I loved the Illuminati getting murked, nothing wrong with subverting expectations which this movie does multiple times. Also reinforces the core themes about arrogance and hubris. Strange warned them, the Illuminati ignored him so self sure they could deal with Wanda...and died horribly for it.

This is why i never had an issue with that moment.

The Iluminati are not the focal point, they were just a cameo and that was it, so for me at least their deaths were of no concern.

With the exception of Reed and Xavier i did not care for any of them given their treatment of Strange and their reaction to Wanda's threat level so good riddance and went back to the story of Wanda, Strange and Chavez with a smile as i enjoyed it, though i may be part of a minority if what i am hearing if right.