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Short take: I enjoyed it.
I have yet to read almost any Marvel comics, but I did read a primer on Dr. Strange earlier this week. I'm glad I did as it gave me some insight into how certain characters had originally been introduced and what the Strange stories were known for. For example, knowing that the character had been developed during a psychedelic era and the issues were known for their art helped me appreciate the current interpretation, which is less colorful but still trippy in places. I also appreciated the second end theme over the credits which definitely is a nod to that musical influence.
I have mixed feelings about the whitewashing in Tilda Swinton's role. One the one hand, not casting an Asian actor for a traditionally Asian character is always a negative thing when they are up for so few roles. On the other, one way of fixing the character and storyline was to replace them with another underrepresented group -- women. There are only two in this film, the other being Christine who apparently will not be Night Nurse in the cinematic verse, though it certainly seems like that's where her character is drawn from (although she's a doctor).
Unfortunately Christine is still a thankless role, though I think she is played quite well and McAdams is a grounding presence in the film . The scene where she and Strange fight was, to my mind, very realistic and made him seem like the utter dick he was. There were only two dozen or so people in my screening of the film but I heard a few gasp when he makes his worst dismissive comment. She also got to be heroic and even funny in an understated way, though it's unclear what role she would have going forward, which is a problem too many female characters have had in the Marvel movies.
It's also hard for me to be unhappy about Tilda Swinton's role because the writers are trying to fix the same problem that Iron Man 3 faced with the Mandarin. (Again, never read the comics, but it's not difficult to believe that portrayals of Asian characters from 60 years ago needed serious reworking). Wong still appears, though I suspect with a very different approach. Unlike Christine it seems pretty clear what role he'll likely fill in the next movie.
Coming to Dr. Strange fairly fresh I got the sense that the Asian aspects of the original story were downplayed in favor of making the Ancient One's "cult" an international, multicultural one. It still made me eye roll that all three defense locations happened to be in English speaking locations -- given how much the writers were changing, why not add two more in different places to represent different cultural groups? But I think that American culture is so different now than in the 60s that there's been a certain amount of cultural assimilation of Eastern thought. This makes many of the ideas presented as more of a scientific approach despite its woo-woo factor, and not an East vs West exoticism. There's an entertaining joke which plays on that regarding a wi-fi password. (Again, small audience, but it got a noticeable laugh).
What I liked about Swinton is that she played the role very well, making the character sympathetic, one of leadership, while self-aware, and understatedly funny. I also really liked seeing a female mentor to a man, especially when she is both an action hero herself and one who is trying to encourage personal growth in her mentee. This is a dynamic we do not see often enough. I thought she came off as a teacher without seeming maternal.
I also got the sense that the Marvel team wanted to include characters of color surrounding Strange, but otherwise wanted to have a white opponent in this opening film. Of course one good change would have been to make Christine an Asian-American actress who had no knowledge at all connected to Strange's study and experiences in Nepal. I couldn't help but flash back to the pre-movie trailers for "Great Wall of China" which featured Matt Damon in virtually every shot despite the entire film being ABOUT CHINA and his name featured in giant letters before a second quick credit clip that listed him yet again along with other actors in the movie. As if somehow movie goers would need to be reassured that this is not a film with unknown foreign actors despite it apparently being a high-budget action flick.
I thought that Cumberbatch did well in the role. Yes, it's yet another in a long line of similarly arrogant, highly educated, upper class characters that he's played. But more than almost any other character (besides Guardians, which was jokey all the way through and had the benefit of being set in space) I think his could have come off as too much of a joke. Although the transformation of Stephen Strange, doctor, to Stephen Strange superhero is too pat and too fast, I think Strange the man was believable, which was super important to set up before he becomes a cape wearing, levitating magician. He also manages to have some dry humor. I think another risk was having Strange be Tony Stark 2.0 given their overlap in liking the high life, being a self-centered smartass, and in love with their own abilities, and then going through a crisis chrysalis. So I think his use of humor was particularly tricky -- too much showboating and done too often and he'd seem like a tired copy. Yet it was also necessary in deflating what could become a very overblown premise.
Chiwetel Ejiofor was terrific, also helping to ground the film and making an ethical crisis later in the film meaningful. He made every scene with Cumberbatch (who he interacts with the most) better. What was not so great storywise was Kaecilius as the villain. Eventually we find out what he's doing and why and it sets up some fractures among the characters. But he's just underdeveloped. However, the movie covers a lot of ground in under two hours. When I left the theater I was surprised to see how early it still was.
The film also had a number of brief connecting bits to other Marvel films. For example, the initial part of the film takes place during Civil War. We not only see an Avengers tower in the opening shot but Strange turns down the request to operate on an injured Rhodey (though he's never mentioned by name). Late in the film the Eye of Agamotto is referred to as one of the Infinity Stones.
I've no idea if the Cloak of Levitation is represented as a seemingly sentient object in the comics, but its appearances were both entertaining and also smoothly done in making Strange seem less costum-y but instead weaponized.
The overall plot no doubt had its holes, but I found things kept moving enough that I didn't really question it. The final confrontation fits nicely with both Strange's stubborn nature, his evolution from doctor to hero, and his willingness to break rules and take risks.
I had no idea of Mordo's background in the comics so the post-credits scene was a real surprise. Also enjoyed the mid credits scene with Strange and Thor. I have the same mug he uses! I also noticed that the last line in the credits encourages audience members to avoid driving while distracted. I guess it is more applicable than "Don't test experimental serums on yourself" or "Organizational politics can kill you."
One last note, when the film opened I noticed they have a new logo. Instead of the flipping comics pages and simple "Marvel" there's now a logo with various Avengers film clips and the title Marvel Films.