Film Review: Doctor Strange

The second of Marvel’s Wave Three films is here, following the release of the blockbuster hit of Captain America: Civil War. It’s Doctor Strange, taking viewers to the world of the supernatural, where mystic artifacts, dimension hopping, and astral projections are everyday occurrences. This marks a departure from previous Marvel films, where science fiction was the norm. Sure, Thor may have been rooted loosely in Norse mythology, but leaned heavily on Clarke’s Third Law, where sufficiently advanced science will look like magic to us.

Our hero is Stephen Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, a world-class neurosurgeon and an arrogant tool. After a horrific car accident leaves the nerves in his hands so damaged that he can no longer perform surgery. A series of chance encounters leads him to Kathmandu where he meets The Ancient One, played by Tilda Swinton. She teaches Strange that there is more to reality than one can normally see, and that his weakness is not just in his body, but in his mind. This ties together nicely with Strange’s character flaw, allowing him to develop into a better person as he learns mystical arts. There are other students of the craft who ally themselves with Strange, including Karl Mordo, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Wong the librarian, played by Benedict Wong.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Marvel movie without a bad guy with vague, nefarious motives. Kaecilius, played by Mads Mikkelsen, is a former student of The Ancient One, and he seeks to end death by tapping into forbidden powers. It’s up to Doctor Strange and company to put an end to Kaecilius’ machinations.

If you’ve seen most of the Marvel movies so far, you’ve already watched Doctor Strange. It’s your typical end-of-the-world scenario, where the good guys have to stop a bad guy whose motivations aren’t fleshed out. That’s not to say there aren’t points in the film’s favour. The visual effects are some of the most distinct we’ve seen in a superhero film, where the use of magic literally bends reality in some really trippy ways. The casting is great, with standout performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton, who play the main heroes of the film, respectively. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo makes an excellent anti-hero, whose rigid adherence to rules and the laws of reality plague him with doubts. Benedict Wong’s Wong gets some laughs out of the audience through his stoicism in the face of Strange’s attempts at humor.

It’s a solid film, overall, though it can fall a bit small compared to this year’s excellent Captain America: Civil War. Still, if superhero films are your bag, this one is worth checking out.