Marvel continues its success with ‘Doctor Strange’

Dion Price, Reporter

There once was a time where if you were a fan of comic books, you would have talks with your friends about what a movie with your favorite hero in it would be like.

Superhero movies were rare to see, and the classic Superman and Batman films of the 80s and 90s were pretty much the only things comic book fans had to talk about. In the early 2000s, the Spider-Man movies were the first successful franchise from Marvel Comics to gain popularity. Years later, Marvel decided to reboot its take on bringing their characters to the big screen with the release of “Iron Man. This movie would be the first film to kick off Marvel’s “Marvel Cinematic Universe” and bring many characters from the comics to theaters worldwide.

Today is completely different than how it was in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Marvel’s recent release of “Doctor Strange” is the company’s 14th consecutive number one movie on its opening weekend.

Most people would look at the number 14 and think that that is way too many comic book movies. However, the thing that keeps people interested in these stories is Marvel’s clever formula of creating fun, captivating stories for each individual character. Marvel also continues a larger storyline that connects multiple films together for future films, where each of these characters eventually unite to fight evil.

“Doctor Strange” does a great job in establishing the origin story of Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The film also introduces additional characters that are likeable and complex, rather than the typical supporting characters of a superhero movie.

What separates this film from Marvel’s other works is how unique it is visually. From the opening scene, I was captivated at how creative the action scenes were. I was also relieved that I was watching a superhero movie that was not stereotypical in regards to explosions and buildings being destroyed. It was funny at times, and also had serious themes throughout.

The thing that made this movie so brilliant was that people who don’t have any knowledge of comic books would still enjoy it. This is part of what has made Marvel so successful for so long. They make movies that anyone can see, while at the same time staying true to the comic books, and including all of the details die-hard fans would look for.

“Doctor Strange” is an amazing film that tells a great story, while simultaneously adding to the massive story Marvel is putting together with its upcoming films. With 14 movies down and many more to go, Marvel is sure making it fun to be a comic book fan.

 

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