Doctor Strange Review

Doctor+Strange+Review

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has yet to disappoint critics and audiences alike with it’s 13 highly praised previous installments. As number 14, Dr. Strange had a lot of weight on its shoulders. It still managed to exceed expectations. The characters were gripping, the plotline was intriguing and the visuals had me thirsting for more as I left the theater. At times it even felt more like a surreal head trip with a storyline than the latest Marvel film, which was refreshing, bringing more than a nuance of change from the aforementioned installments.

The film follows the arrogant Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Dr. Strange, after a devastating car crash resulting in permanent damage to his hands, is unable to work as a neurosurgeon. After western medicine fails him, he desperately turns to eastern healings and travels to Nepal. There he finds The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), who promises to heal him, but he must follow everything she tells him. Soon, he realizes he’s in for more than he bargained for.

Nearly everything about this movie blew my expectations out of the water. Certain parts, however, I found repetitive. Dr. Strange is a cocky, arrogant, quick-witted millionaire who must come to terms with his selfish lifestyle and pursue self sacrifice. Sound familiar? Yes, Dr. Strange and Iron Man have extremely similar character bases and arcs, the only difference is their powers, or lack thereof. There was also the training montage we’re accustomed to, and dare I say bored with, when Strange was discovering his powers.

The visuals, again, were phenomenal. It was as if 2009’s Inception city bending scene and 1968’s 2001: A Space Odyssey star gate sequence were combined, then put on steroids. This movie provides audiences with some of the best special effects to date. Aside from the visuals, I was impressed by the humor that was incorporated into such a saddened character and all the elements of sorcery that they were able to jam into the two-hour film. With a superhero that has so many abilities, it is hard to incorporate every power into the movie, but I think there was an appropriate amount, leaving the audiences with a sense of whimsy and horror.

This movie has made it into my top 10 favorite superhero movies, if not number one, and I would highly recommend it to comic book nerds and casual moviegoers alike.

Rank Superhero Movie
#1 The Dark Knight
#2 Guardians of the Galaxy
#3 Doctor Strange
#4 The Incredibles
#5 Deadpool
#6 Spiderman 2
#7 Kick Ass
#8 X2
#9 The Avengers
#10 Chronicle