Doctor Strange REVIEW

In the ever-expanding world of superhero films, it's important that the newer ones releasing keep the genre as a whole fresh and exciting. And whether or not you see it as such, the 'superhero' films are a genre all on their own now; it's their responsibility (being the highest-grossing films of the modern day) to not keep giving us the same material. Doctor Strange both does that, and doesn't do that. It's an oddball film with fantastic visuals and a great lead performance, but the central themes and overall arc isn't anything we as moviegoers haven't seen before. With all that being said, this is a movie made for Marvel fans and newcomers alike.

One of the reasons this film can be so widely appealing is thanks to its wonderful lead in Benedict Cumberbatch. Over the past 7 years that he's grown in popularity, we've seen him do everything from Sherlock Holmes to Alan Turing. The man has the amazing talent to captivate an audience with his bravado and powerful voice, and it's not lost in his role as Doctor Stephen Strange. As yet another Marvel film where a character needs to learn humility through loss, one wouldn't be blamed for thinking this isn't anything we've seen before. But Benedict brings a lot of gravity to the role, and it's ultimately a joy to see another great underdog story in this world of heroes. His supporting cast populated by Chiwitel Eijiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton all do solid work, albeit being significantly background compared Cumberbatch. Highlights include Eijiofor's solid wing man in Mordo, who proves to be a good friend component similar to a James Rhodes/War Machine or a Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier. Tilda Swinton is both graceful and powerful as the Ancient One, and her talents both as an actress and a sorcerer are stunning to see on-screen. As for the other main players, they have less stellar moments: McAdams plays a relatively insignificant love interest, Wong plays a criminally underutilized source of comic relief, and Mikkelsen, while certainly terrifying-looking, does nothing for me as a villain. And it's especially tough for me to accept these weaker characters after seeing superhero movies like Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, and Suicide Squad give audiences a plethora quirky and likable characters with multiple opportunities to be exposed to their personalities. Doctor Strange  gives us plenty of likable characters, but not a lot of time to focus on them.

What the movie spends most of its time on is overall lore-expanding for the universe and the visceral visual tricks that comes with the nature of a sorcerer's world. The visuals in this film, while not as out-of-this-world or as bombastic as I was hoping, are a real treat to see with one's own eyes. And in 3D, the bright colors and amazing spectacle of magic is even more engrossing. It also provides Marvel films with a new level of action that we haven't seen before. Rather than action and conflict relying on tech or superpowers, this magic changes the game for the characters to move, attack, and defend. This sounds a lot like video game design lingo, but believe me, this changes the way that opponents of the Avengers (because of course Doctor Strange will become an Avenger) have to fight. It causes fight sequences to be more dynamic as a result, which is awesome to see unfold on-screen. And trust me when I say that if nothing else, Doctor Strange has some of the best fight scenes in any movie this year.

After all was said and done, Doctor Strange is another engaging and fun entry for the Marvel saga, but I can't help but feel slightly underwhelmed by the final product. Spectacular action, visuals, and a stunning lead in Benedict Cumberbatch aside, Doctor Strange is an average origin story, but the possibilities that it brings for the saga as a whole are certainly fun to ponder. It's by no means a bad time at the movies, but as a story, it isn't anything you haven't seen before.

Rating: 7.5/10