Doctor Strange

Marvel's latest is finally here! I was always a little apprehensive about this one due to my disliking of Marvel films going too 'fantastical', my little knowledge on the character and Benedict Cumberbatch's American accent which sounded a little ropy in the trailers. I was however silly not to be excited because Marvel have come out with yet another hit and it might just be one of their best films yet. Find out why in my SPOILER FREE review.

Doctor Strange follows a former neurosurgeon as he embarks on a journey of healing only to be then drawn into the world of the mystic arts. The film has a very impressive cast with Benedict Cumberbatch finally getting to take centre stage in a big blockbuster film, supported by the likes of Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams. All do very well in their roles and put everything into bringing some of the comic-book characters to life. Though it is unfortunate that Rachel McAdams is not given much to do in the film apart from being the 'will they, won't they' love interest, one of its biggest flaws. It is forgivable though, this film could have been all over the place, introducing new characters, introducing magic and mysticism while still having an easy enough plot for audiences to follow is a hard task. The director, Scott Derrickson, thankfully pulls it off though and even brought the film in at just under two hours in length. The plot is tight, the pacing is fast and there is not one boring moment I can think of. 

The biggest criticism I have seen of this film so far has been it's 'paint by numbers' origin story. Now yes, there are certain elements that have been seen before but then there are also certain elements that are in every film, such as the character having and arc and overcoming their flaws. This is not something to criticise of this film, if anything it takes the tropes of the origin stories and plays with them, it feels fresh and exciting, there are elements which would be too spoilery to mention that made me so happy about how they went about settling things. Every action scene felt unique and creative, I was blown away by just how good the action was, it felt like something we had never seen before even if the comparisons to Inception are definitely going to be and have been made. Each action sequence was so character driven, each time Strange learnt something about himself and it moved him forward as a character. And yes the same might not be said about the villain, but Mads Mikkelsen still manages to make his presence felt, he might not be the most memorable villain but he definitely isn't the worst. This films is one of the most unique films I have seen Marvel pull off and only second to Guardians of the Galaxy. There’s a lot to get your head around here and they pull it off in great fashion, it’s not their funniest of films but the humour is injected in order for this film not to take itself too seriously and it does, and doesn’t take anything else away by doing so.

Now let’s talk about the visuals, one of the main elements of the film that most people agree with, this film looks stunning. The effects are amazing, they never felt out of place, they're trippy and magical and the people behind them must have had so much fun being able to play outside the box and do whatever they wanted with them. We're living in a day and age where these sort of effects can now be used so eloquently and so masterfully to make comic-book films look even more like their source material. And talking of comic book accuracy, bravo to the costume designers of this film, I might have read maybe one or two Doctor Strange comics in my lifetime but even I got chills when you first see Benedict Cumberbatch in full costume for the first time.

I was really surprised by how much I liked this one, I went in hoping for something better than Ant-Man and came out watching one of the best Marvel origin stories since the first Iron Man film. Seriously this film is brilliant, I even liked it more than Captain America: Civil War. I think in a world where superhero films are now being mass produced it's nice to have something that feels different, this is why people took to Deadpool so well and its why they're also going to take well to this one. More of this Marvel, more of this. I'm giving Doctor Strange a rating of  4.5/5.  Best superhero movie of the year. 

What did you think of Doctor Strange? One of Marvel's best or just another superhero film? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! 

Star Trek Into Darkness

So before I start this review I would like to say that I am one of those people who never really got into Star Trek until J.J Abrams's 2009 film. The 2009 reboot blew me away and I really loved it and therefore was looking forward to the sequel Star Trek Into Darkness very much. So was J.J Abrams second Star Trek film a film worth waiting for? As with all my reviews this one is spoiler free.

Following origins of Captain Kirk and Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew in the first film, this one can dive straight into the action. This time round we join the Enterprise crew as they go after a starfleet member turned terrorist, John Harrison. The film is action packed and fast paced from start to finish, you are in for a great ride. Obviously there is a lot more to the plot, and as with a lot of films these days there are a lot of big twists and turns along the way. I was disappointed by some of the smaller subplots at the start, which were wrapped up so quickly it left you feeling whether they were even needed in the first place. The twists are great, however when some are revealed it isn't too hard to predict where the plot might go next.

J.J Abrams's first Star Trek film lacked a developed villain and this was the first thing they changed for Into Darkness. Believe the hype, Benedict Cumberbatch is incredible and indeed steals the show. He plays John Harrison who is a very well written character and one of the best sympathetic villains i've seen in cinema in a long time. However he does not overshadow the rest of the cast, especially with the Kirk/Spock bromance which also stands out and makes the film. The bromance brings the most funny, heartfelt and powerful moments to the film. If it wasn't for the great chemistry between Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto this film would fall short and I don't think even Cumberbatch could save it.

More of the supporting characters get more screen time this time round, most noticeably Simon Pegg's Scotty who has his own character arc in the film. Unfortunately some of the bigger characters of the first film seem to get less, such as Uhura who seems to be forgotten for the middle part of the film, and not to mention her relationship arc which gets touched on at the start but then forgotten again.

The cinematography is stunning and the lens flares seem less in your face than the previous film, I personally do not mind the lens flares that much and quite enjoy that Abrams brings his own style to his films. For a film that is effects heavy it is lucky that they look so good; not once was I taken out of the moment by some dodgy looking CGI. Even the practical effects were great, you get to see a few revamped Klingons which look great and if a threequel goes ahead we could be seeing a lot more of them.

J.J Abrams has made the perfect sequel, he has gone bigger, bolder and better! What I loved most about this film was that I was emotionally involved in these characters lives even though I have never been a massive Star Trek fan. Some of the scenes are very powerful and well written, the film doesn't come without a few flaws but for me it was one of the best sci-fi films I have seen. That is why I am rating it a strong 4.5/5.

I think it's fair to say that Star Wars Episode 7 is in good hands, especially since the latest Star Trek films have felt quite familiar...

What did you think of Star Trek Into Darkness? Please comment below.

Thanks for reading and live long and prosper!