Marvel one-ups itself again with spellbinding visuals and a stunning performance from Benedict Cumberbatch as “Doctor Strange.” That’s hard to do considering the company that the film joins, but with the driving force of director Scott Derrickson (Deliver Us From Evil) his film surely deserves a spot within the top seven films in the Marvel Universe (MU).
Considering that “Doctor Strange” is mostly a B-level character it comes to no surprise that Marvel is able to mold the mythos into a worthy film. Some keep waiting for the so-called super hero fatigue to hit but with Marvel leading the way with quality films that are balanced, well-written, and containing worthy characters, it just seems to not be happening.
Some may have thought “Doctor Strange” was possibly going to be a miss for Disney. However, the film easily impresses with a solid story as it follows a similar pattern of intrigue, witty humor, action packed visuals, alongside thoughtful and smart casting that Marvel just keeps repeating.
The choice of going with a B-level character is a smart move for Marvel as “Doctor Strange” offers a new level of ability that the others such as Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk do not share (despite the Scarlet Witch).
Strange gets his powers from magic. His talent stems from his photographic memory that allows him to learn effectively from ancient books of magic and gives him the ability to perform complicated spells that harness mystical energies and forces that are unseen to the regular people. His character fits well into the universe as something different as he is able to do things and go places the other characters in the MU cannot. That appeal is part of why this character sucessfully avoids the fatigue mentioned already; and of course the superior directing and acting too.
It’s all to easy to say Benedict Cumberbatch is the definitive driving force of the film and many will. However, the entire cast was perfectly realized. Despite the rumblings from the peanut gallery on Tilda Swinton’s casting as The Ancient One, there is no one who could have played the role better. She’s just the right amount of other worldliness and at the same time human, creating this ethereal being that can wield power and empathy equally. Her performance takes me back to her character “Mason” in the equally trippy film “Snowpiercer” where despite her small role, it contributed vastly.
In a film with Cumberbatch and Swinton it’s easy to maybe pass up on Chiwetel Ejiofor who plays Mordor. He’s a mentor to Dr. Steven Strange and even makes a case to the Ancient One as to why Strange should be allowed to learn from them. If you are familiar with the comic or cartoon then you know his destiny and I won’t spoil it. Let’s just say that his ability to portray characters with great range will create a wonderful dynamic down the line in the next film.
Also, easily dismiss-able in super hero flicks is the love interest. In the original “Thor” movie with Natalie Portman cast as the love-interest, her character was just a non-entity. She didn’t bring chemistry nor much humor with the two dimensional character she played (in both films). On the flip-side “Strange” cast Rachel McAdams, who gets some great screen time where her character is allowed to play a wide range of emotions. She’s funny in the right places, sad, hurt, excited and the character feels a lot more real when compared to some other equally good Marvel films with weaker love interests. It was smart this time out to make sure this small character was not written as flat. The character’s ability to recognize the changes in Steven Strange help the audience define how he evolves as a person. This creates more gravitas for the story and the growth of the Strange character <which is important in an origin story>.
There’s more. There’s the villain, Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecilius. He’s the Ancient One’s traitorous former disciple. Is there any role Mikkelsen can’t shine in? For a equally trippy ride see him in “Men & Chicken.”
Marvel once again delivers on a solid super hero film making sure to include just the right amount of humor and action alongside a story that resonates with superb acting. The visuals alone make the film worth seeing in 3-D and even IMAX. Early prediction is that the film will more than likely require repeat viewings not only in the theater but in Blu-Ray ownership down the line. “Doctor Strange” is highly entertaining and a must-see in the theater.
The Final Verdict: 4 out of 5!
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action & Adventure , Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Written By: Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, Scott Derrickson, Jon Spaihts, C. Robert Cargill
In Theaters: Nov 4, 2016 Wide
Runtime: 130 minutes
Studio:Marvel / Walt Disney Pictures