Doctor Strange

Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brilliant but arrogant and egotistical surgeon. When he damages his hands in a car wreck, he is so desperate for a cure that he travels to Kamar-Taj, a hidden Tibetan monastery. There, he is trained in the mystic arts by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and her associates Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Wong (Benedict Wong). He soon finds himself draw in to their efforts to thwart Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a former disciple whose quest to grant the world eternal life involves turning it over to a malevolent entity, Dormammu. Though reluctant and unskilled at first, the rational Strange eventually becomes a valuable ally.

Let it not be said that Marvel Studios has run out of ways to be different. Though Guardians of the Galaxy, with its genetically modified raccoon and tree-like alien antiheroes seemed as far afield as Marvel could go and remain successful, Doctor Strange introduces a full-on embrace of magic and alternate dimensions. And despite the challenges inherent in adapting Steve Ditko’s trippy 60s creation – like how does one make magic fit within the technology-centric mileau of a shared universe – Marvel has again struck paydirt.

A big chunk of the credit here goes to director Scott Derrickson, who was definitely up to the task. Rather than taking a cartoonish approach, Derrickson aimed to create an awe-inspiring spectacle. The resulting reality-warping visuals favorably invoked Inception rather than traditional wizard fare or the fanciful (and cheesy) Thor. Derrickson was also acutely aware of Marvel’s proclivity for ending movies with big, irresponsible, city-leveling battles, and he and writer C. Robert Cargill engineered a subversion that was still consistent with the demands of character and story. Even the most controversial decision – casting Swinton in the role of a traditionally male, traditionally Tibetan character – proved to be a wise move. Had a more conventional choice been made (say Ken Watanabe), the character may very well have been a regrettable Wise Master cliché. Instead, the witty, androgynous Swinton made the character stand out.

She is far from the only strong performer in the cast, however. Cumberbatch, known for portraying socially awkward geniuses, is a charismatically good fit here, and convincingly portrays the character’s growing sense of obligation and sacrifice. Ejiofor gives Mordo a nobility that the comic book equivalent has often lacked while still foreshadowing his darker nature. Mikkelsen makes for a droll change-of-pace villain, a well-intentioned extremist as opposed to a would-be conqueror, but his character isn’t given enough development, nor is that of Rachel McAdams, who plays Strange’s medical colleague/former lover (and an obvious audience surrogate).

Unexpectedly, Doctor Strange is also frequently hilarious. Midway through the film, Strange acquires his trademark Cloak of Levitation, a sentient garment that proves to be a far better fighter than he is. A seemingly disposable joke made to Wong (a comically serious foil) about one-named musicians gets a callback when the latter can be found listening to Beyonce in the Kamar-Taj library. Even Strange’s inevitable confrontation with Dormammu is laden with dark humor and trolling.

Fittingly, this movie about magic casts such an engaging spell over viewers that it frequently blinds them to some very obvious flaws. In addition to the previously mentioned underdeveloped secondary characters, Doctor Strange features a thin, almost perfunctory plot. And while the film’s visual aspects are often a strength, the depiction of Dormammu falls flat and fails to intimidate. Cumberbatch, who provided the voice and motion capture, did far better villainous work bringing to life monsters like Smaug and Sauron.

Despite these shortcomings, Doctor Strange is an entertaining, visually refreshing origin story that brings a new character into an established fold and lays more groundwork for future MCU entries.

8/10