A cast of Academy Award winners and nominees, a horror movie director and a film about ‘magicy’ stuff. Marvel’s Doctor Strange was one of ‘those’ Marvel films, you know? One of the Marvel films that intentionally spin things on its head so general audience and critics can say, ‘Yeah, Marvel are still switching things up.’
Doctor Strange follows neurosurgeon Stephen Strange portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, who’s mind is opened up by the Ancient One using magic that shows him the true potential of the universe after his hands are crippled in a car crash and his career destroyed.
SCHOOL BOY STORYTELLING
Now Doctor Strange is completely stale when it comes to storytelling and tropes. It’s your typical Marvel origin story, and in a time when Marvel has moved away from this sort of thing, it definitely feels quite weird to get a film so ‘schoolboy’. Yes, the writing is good, there are funny moments, the characters enjoyable, but nothing you haven’t seen before. The story also moves fast, as in too fast. Director Scott Derrickson says the film takes place over a year or so, however, there’s no indication of this. While scenes were fluid and flowed into each other well, I had no sense of time. It never feels like Strange really struggles with learning magic, even though they try and show us he is. Plus, it kinda felt like anyone could go and learn magic, no special test to get in this cool Marvel Hogwarts. In this way, it’s quite disappointing, but that’s not necessarily the main appeal of this film.
TIMEY-WIMEY INCEPTION X1000
Now, this. This is what makes this film stand out from not only every other Marvel film. But from most live action films ever released. The visuals in Doctor Strange are unlike anything you’ll ever experience, it’s profoundly colorful, an acid trip of a film with mind-bending unable to comprehend action sequences. It feels like these sequences were made by a bunch of crazy VFX artists tripping on mushrooms and dropping acid without being fed. Truly incredible. Exactly indescribable. If you think the trailers have shown you anything. They. Have. Not. On this merit alone, Doctor Strange is worth seeing and worth the money. If you combine these above and beyond visuals with it’s okay to fine story and decent performances, then Doctor Strange is doing enough to say, ‘Hey, Marvel isn’t doing the same thing again and again.’
THE VERDICT
Doctor Strange gets the job done, in the way, Guardians of the Galaxy got the job done, in the way, Iron Man got the job done, in the way, Ant-Man, and The Winter Soldier got the job done. Marvel’s streak of good to amazing is still going. Doctor Strange may encompass all your classic Marvel tropes and origin story beats, nevertheless, it’s far-fetched, implausible visuals are nothing like you’ve ever seen. And for this, Doctor Strange is a solid effort in a year where not many studio films have impressed.
Rating: 8.2/10
Words by Levi E. Aluede