Ok. Stop when this story gets familiar: a wealthy, narcissistic, yet intellectually gifted man is involved in an event that sets him on a path to increased humility and, eventually, heroism. That sound like a story you know? Maybe Tony Stark’s arc in “Iron Man”?
It’s a well-worn story that also serves as the basis for the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Doctor Strange”. But as a wiser fella than myself once said, just because you know the way to your destination, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the trip.
”Strange” tells the origin of Dr. Stephen Strange, Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme. We meet our protagonist when he’s living the life of a successful neurosurgeon. He’s not Tony Stark rich, but the dude’s still shacking up in a palatial apartment and rolling around in a Lamborghini. Unfortunately, for Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), he wrecks his fly ride and is robbed of his physical ability to perform surgeries.
Desperate to heal his broken hands, Strange seeks out The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). She informs him that there are other ways to save lives and trains him in the ways of magic. The clock is ticking, however, because Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a former student of The Ancient One who’s fallen into dark ways, has showed up and wants to royally mess up the world. You know there’s a fight between Strange and Kaecilius coming, right?
While the “Strange” story is nothing new, the movie gives us what we love so much about Marvel movies while managing to throw a few curve balls at us. Cumberbatch is pretty much perfect as the title character, and watching him go from an arrogant God wanna-be who could give Greg House a run for his money to a more humble character with a more enlightened view of the world is a joy. Strange can be a real jerk, but underneath there’s a genuinely decent human being.
The rest of the cast is impressive, as well. Swinton brings an ethereal, almost alien quality to The Ancient One that just feels right. I always love watching Chiwetel Ejiofor, and he makes a great Mordo, stoic and bound by his concept of right and wrong. They give us just enough of Rachel McAdam’s character to makes us like her and want to see more of her, but not enough so that her relationship story with Strange derails the rest of the flick.
”Strange” also give us that blend of humor and action that only Marvel seems to pull off. The action scenes are jaw-dropping, as whole cityscapes twists to serve as obstacles to our heroes. There’s a fight scene in Hong Kong that involves time manipulation that might be the coolest fight I’ve seen in a movie this year.
Best of all, “Strange” gives us a few twists that turn into surprises that make the movie that much more enjoyable. There’s a trippy sequence involving astral projection that felt like something out of “2001”. And the way the main conflict gets resolved is pure genius, with Strange using his brain as much as his sorcery skills.
As for flaws, there are a few. The dialogue in this movie wasn’t quite as sharp as it has been in other MCU flicks. A few of the jokes feel forced or placed into the story in inappropriate places. I got lost a couple times during the action scenes and the score wasn’t particularly memorable.
The most glaring flaw in “Strange” may be something that only bugs me. That flaw is that Marvel’s insistence that all these movies have roughly the same tone and visual style is start to wear on me. I understand the need for a consistent look and feel to tie the universe together, but I’d love to see what a director like Guillermo Del Toro could do with this material.
But that’s something that’s only going to bother a snooty film snob like myself. Overall, “Doctor Strange” is a lot of fun, and well worth a trip to the theater to see it. It’s got laughs, eye-popping action, and a great hero’s journey. Definitely, check it out!
4 Indy Fedoras out of 5
MPAA Rating: PG-13
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