Doctor Strange review

Director: Scott Derrickson
Running time: 115 minutes

Ambitious, stunning, magical, but lacking depth

Doctor Strange is the fourteenth entry in the Marvel cinematic universe, and it's the first one in awhile that feels particularly separate from the others. Not just visually, but because it's also the onscreen introduction to a new superhero within the Marvel pantheon. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brilliant if arrogant neurosurgeon who can't control the nerves in his hands after a car crash.

Unable to do the thing he loves, he struggles to find meaning to his life, so he heads to Kamar-Taj, on the advice of a man who recovered from a major life threatening spinal injury. On arrival he meets a sorcerer called 'The Ancient one' (Tilda Swinton), who teaches him the ways of the mystic arts. Where he will eventually have to stop Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson), a student who betrayed her and stole the pages of a ritual from a forbidden book, that can open the Dark Dimension where time stands still.

Doctor Strange is visually stunning and colourful, the use of magic while limited in scope is wonderful to look at. Magic is often used as nothing more than a plot device in most fantasy films, but in Doctor Strange it has a purpose that is central to the plot and the character, which I really liked.

Much of the action scenes take place in the cityscapes of New York (and to a lesser extent London and Hong Kong) in an alternate dimension. Through the manipulation of magic, these cities bend and twist together creating jaw dropping visual effects. These action scenes are great to look at, but sometimes feel a little weightless because Strange seems to overcome his enemies relatively easily, there's also little tension because the villain, Kaecilius, isn't particularly interesting and has no real foreboding presence. And like other MCU villains, he isn't developed very much to really care about.

Benedict Cumberatch is perfectly cast as the lead, but the character's progression, much like the story, is rushed and contrived. He learns his powers far too quickly, taking away any potential character development that is sorely missing. Rachel McAdams is underused as the love interest, seeming to appear every time the plot requires her to show up. However, the chemistry between her and Cumberbatch works very well, their characters do come across as a believable couple.

Aside from the finale, the overall structure is typical of any superhero origin film, and doesn't deviate from anything that has already been done before. There are touching scenes between Strange and the 'The Ancient One' that bring a certain levity and philosophical identity that is absent from most of the other MCU films. There is also a thoughtful message about the need to look beyond our own materialistic needs and self greed, which was surprising for this kind of film.

Doctor Strange is an above average MCU film, with plenty of fun and entertainment. The ideas, ambition and the visuals are worth the ticket price alone. But I'm not sure if it's something that will be particularly well remembered in another five years or so.

Verdict: 7/10, B-
Recommended