Poster courtesy: Marvel.com
A fun and mystifying journey, “Doctor Strange” is the newest superhero film from Marvel Studios. Unlike previous entries in the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe, this film focuses on the idea and powers of mysticism, spirit and the control of alternate dimensions and time.
I will confess I have never been the kind of person who particularly enjoys superhero films. I have only seen a select few Marvel films in my time, and I have only found limited enjoyment in the genre. That being said, I was very impressed by this film.
The film begins with an unnamed character’s decapitation along with pages of spells being stolen from a strange library in Nepal, followed by a brief and visually immersive confrontation between the perpetrators and a mysterious yellow-hooded figure in London. The scene shifts to New York City, where we meet the titular Dr. Steven Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), an incredibly arrogant — albeit incredibly brilliant — neurosurgeon with an affinity for music from the 1970s. His career is ruined in a horrific car accident that severely injures the nerves in his hands, which now shake uncontrollably.
After losing all of his possessions while searching for treatment and caring for his former girlfriend Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), Strange seeks out a paraplegic New Yorker who miraculously regained the ability to walk. He is directed to Kamar-Taj and begins to train under Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), the hooded figure from the opening confrontation. He frequently confronts the hard-headed master Wong (Benedict Wong), who is now the librarian, and learns more about controlling dimensions, as well as the motives of Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), the thief from the opening.
Entire cityscapes are manipulated in a way that is difficult to describe. This is something that needs to be seen to be truly understood.
The film does an excellent job of explaining characters’ motivations and flaws, as well as creating actual, multidimensional people (pun intended). The protagonist of the story is held back by his own arrogance and self-centered desires. For example, early in the film, it is established that he tends to only perform procedures and surgeries that will bring him glory, as opposed to focusing on the wellbeing of his potential patients. In his studies at Kamar-Taj, his initial goal is not to learn for the betterment of others but instead to heal himself. Through the course of his actions and the events around him, he learns to focus less on himself. While this is a common trope, this film handles it well.
Kaecilius strikes me as a better antagonist than those I have seen in other superhero stories. Instead of being a person who just enjoys being evil and wanting destruction, he has a proper motive: After the death of his loved ones, he wants to bring immortality to all by summoning Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension. This motivation creates a more interesting character and adds to the quality of the story.
The humor in the film is both one of its biggest advantages and detriments. While Cumberbatch delivers his character’s charm and wit with ease, adding humor to the more dramatic scenes causes the villains to feel less threatening and diminishes the tension.
A final notable theme of the film is that of disability. For the majority of the movie, our hero struggles with his new inability to steady his hands. When he is unable to conjure a portal, the Ancient One introduces him to a master who has lost a hand to demonstrate that Strange’s disability does not define who he is and what he can do. This is further demonstrated at the end of the film, as his hands are still shaking despite his mastery over his new abilities.
As a whole, this film was very enjoyable but felt slightly too familiar in some areas. Regardless, it is worth seeing on the silver screen.
Rating: A-
