8 Problems With The MCU That Doctor Strange Doesn't Fix

Marvel's known for being quite light and family-friendly, and despite the studio drawing a lot of criticism for it, there's nothing inherently wrong with this approach. Any kind of tone can work well if applied with confidence, but it's when it's applied with overconfidence that it becomes an issue.

And Doctor Strange is the perfect example. Marvel go with a breezier tone, sure, but here, there were quips every five minutes, even when a scene should've been dramatic and serious. There were jokes in the fight scenes between Strange and Kaecilius. There were jokes in the scene with an injured Strange on the hospital bed. Hell, the Cloak Of Levitation could have its own stand-up comedy show.

And this is a long-standing issue - dozens of Marvel movie moments and characters have lost their impact because of the studio's overuse of humour. Ultron's regular one-liners diminished the threat he posed, Cap's 'language' joke stretched on for far too long, and Iron Man 3's fake-out Mandarin reveal felt incredibly unsatisfying, especially considering every single trailer had made him out to be a potent villain.

It's disappointing, because Marvel have demonstrated their ability to capably balance tone before. Guardians Of The Galaxy worked; that movie knew when to have a laugh, but it also knew when to shut up and keep a lid on the quips. There wasn't a single joke in the opening scene, the moment Peter rescues Gamora, or when Peter accepts the death of his mother during the climax. Consequently, the jokes were funnier and the drama was more emotional.

While some of the humour in Doctor Strange did work - the wi-fi password line felt incredibly organic and natural - other parts, like the cape yanking Strange away from the axe, felt forced. Let's hope Guardians' use of humour has more of an impact on the MCU going forward!