From the director that brought us Sinister, Scott Derrickson adds to the Marvel movie mania with Doctor Strange.
Rated 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, Walt Disney Pictures doesn’t disappoint Marvel fanatics. As the site puts it, “Doctor Strange artfully balances its outré source material against the blockbuster constraints of the MCU, delivering a thoroughly entertaining superhero origin story in the bargain.”
Thoroughly entertaining is an understatement. The movie stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the egotistical surgeon Dr. Stephen Strange, who was living his daily “important” life until his ego catches up to him in the form of a car crash. Strange’s accident broke nearly all the bones in his hands to the point that the only surgeon who could have “done a better job” was himself.
Struggling to keep a relationship with Christine Palmer, an ER surgeon played by Rachel McAdams and his career, Strange searches for the impossible.
During a casual talk with his physical therapist, Strange learns about a man and former patient who was completely paralyzed and some time later was seen walking. Strange finds this man who tells him about a place where he can find what he is looking for.
Strange’s quest then leads him to Nepal, where a near-death experience introduces him to Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character, Baron Mondo.
Mondo allows him to meet the powerful Sorcerer Supreme known as the Ancient One played by Tilda Swinton, who begins Strange’s quest to learn sorcery to combat evil beings such as Kaecillius and the villainous entity known as Dormammu.
This movie consists of what one could describe as looking through a young kid’s toy kaleidoscope. The Academy Award-nominated visual effects do a breathtaking job pulling the audience into Strange’s shoes when he’s forced to explore these new worlds, with the orchestral and occasionally New-Age soundtrack supporting the trippy visuals.
Given Benedict’s experience, it’s no surprise he played the role the of Dr. Strange with such professionalism while remaining faithful to the orginal comic.
The New York Times praised his performance in their review and said, “Mr. Cumberbatch comes across in this movie as at once supremely capable (it’s easy to accept him as a neurosurgeon) and more than a little goofy, with the kind of lopsided beauty and spring-loaded physicality that seem ready-made for silly faces and walks.”
A slight slip in regards to the storyline, Baron Mordo the friendly guide and side-kick to Dr. Strange in the movie when in the comics Mordo is Strange’s enemy. Mordo is not as friendly as he is perceived in the movie. He bats for the evil side rather than fight side by side with Dr. Strange against Dormammu. Quite strange how the writers and directors decided that switch, but it appears they aren’t finished with his character yet.
It is also curious that the studio casted Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One when in the comics, The Ancient One is actually an older man with a white long goatee and mustache. Regardless, she played the part of the slowly aging Sorcerer Supreme gracefully.
Even with just slight technicalities, this movie will challenge your mind and tickle your funny bone. From the Inception type fighting scenes to the twisting time, and strangling magical capes, Doctor Strange is an adventure you want to go back in time to see again, and again.