Doctor Strange

DOCTOR STRANGE

Director : Scott Derrickson
Year : 2016
Genre : Superhero
Rating : ***1/2

With 'Doctor Strange', Marvel Studio may have made its biggest gamble to date. The 14th film in the very, very lucrative Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and starring the ubiquitous Benedict Cumberbatch, this visually stunning and narratively inventive superhero spectacular from 'Sinister' and 'The Exorcism Of Emily Rose' director Scott Derrickson certainly takes the franchise in new and interesting directions and while it may not be the most exciting or completely cohesive in the series, it is certainly the funniest (courtesy of the consistently witty screenplay written by the collaborative partnership of C. Robert Cargill and Derrickson) while the dynamic and incredibly enjoyable performance from the always terrific Cumberbatch provides the MCU with a much- needed injection of new blood. 

As is the case with almost every entry in the MCU, a huge amount of the enjoyment of 'Doctor Strange' comes from it's consistently perfect casting choices. In a role that combines the incalculable genius of Sherlock Holmes and the cold methodical logic of Khan, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the eponymous Stephen Strange - a brilliant yet arrogant neurologist who tragically loses the use of his hands in a horrific car crash. Desperate to return to his beloved profession, Strange ventures to the snowy climes of Nepal where he hears of a spiritual guru only known as The Ancient One who could help him with his crippling ailment. However, upon meeting the elusive sensei (wonderfully if not controversially portrayed by the simply divine Tilda Swinton), Strange soon becomes embroiled in the incredible world of magic - magic which bends time, splits dimensions and even halts death.

With its consistently astounding and sometimes downright trippy visuals, 'Doctor Strange' may just contain the best CGI ever used in a superhero movie. With it's city-bending set pieces and a time scrambling finale, the film is a joy to watch on a purely blockbuster level. Its very rare that I watch films in 3D but I may end up rewatching 'Doctor Strange' in the format because I feel that I missed something in its regular 2D presentation. I guarantee you have never seen a superhero film like this before.

But as is and should be the case with every film, the special effects do not supercede the performances or the plot and thankfully, both are pretty damn good. As mentioned earlier, Cumberbatch completely inhabits his starring role as the mustachioed magician while Swinton brings a surprisingly large amount of depth and gravitas to her performance as Strange's mystical mentor. But there are also some nice supporting turns from '12 Years A Slave's Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong ('Prometheus') and Academy Award nominee Rachel McAdams as Strange's confidante and past lover. However, The underuse of the mercurial Mads Mikkelsen (TV's Hannibal) as the malevolent Kaicilius, a former disciple of The Ancient One whose alliances have turned to the darker side of magic serves as the movies biggest misstep.

Whether or not 'Doctor Strange' will be a commercial success on par with other MCU entries is yet to be seen. The character certainly doesn't have the cultural recognition of Iron Man or Captain America and while the film is just as action packed and as colourful as any movie in their respective series, it notably lacks the child-friendly accessibility that turned into big bucks with 'The Avengers'. However, Marvel Studios managed to make stars of a talking tree and a wise cracking raccoon so who knows? What I do know is that 'Doctor Strange' is a kaleidoscopic fantasia of nerdy brilliance that may not profess to rival the cinematic heights of other entries in the MCU such as 'Captain America : Civil War' or 'The Avengers' but still stands up as a very enjoyable and utterly unique superhero blockbuster.