Review: Doctor Strange

Review: Doctor Strange

J.R. Hensley, Reporter

Marvel has done the impossible, creating the single thread of a story spanning over 15 movies. The most recent sub-plot in the overall arc is Doctor Strange, and let me tell you, it doesn’t disappoint.

Let me first say that I think the concept of 3D movies is a scam.  It’s just a way for the film industry to charge more for the same flick while giving a weak special effect to give reason for the difference in ticket price. However, I saw Doctor Strange in 3D and I would suggest it in no other format (I would recommend sitting further back to really enjoy the spectacle).

The special effects in this film were phenomenal, they would have to be while telling the story of a superhero that is able to travel through time, space, and alternate realities.  Without a good base I wouldn’t have been willing to suspend my disbelief.

I went into this film knowing nothing about the Doctor Strange comics. I am a nerd at heart, so I know who he is and what he can do, but he was never one of the heroes on my radar.  That has now changed.

The film tells the story of a Dr. Stephen Strange, who is a little egotistical when it comes to his ability as a surgeon. He performs incredible feats of medicine while he plays a game with his attending doctors at trying to guess the year some obscure song was originally released.

His life is turned upside down when he gets into a car accident, damaging the hands he prizes so much. It is there that the protagonist must go on his journey to discover his true destiny.

The film doesn’t just stick solely with action while weaving in a metaphysical aspect, it actually makes viewers think about how the universe works and if certain points in history can affect the way the world reacts.

The film does a great job of balancing all aspects of the story. Again, my only complaint was that some of the narrative moved a little quickly, but such is the task of a film that has to cover such a quick transformation to move into the final act where the ultimate evil is defeated. And boy does it end in the most unlikely way.

Tilda Swinton, who plays the “Ancient One,” was entrancing to watch and for me more of a stand-out than the lead.  Benedict Cumberbatch’s American accent was a little jarring at first, but does well framing the egotistical American persona.

The post-credits scenes do a good job of hooking the audience for the forthcoming installments, which include the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok and a Doctor Strange sequel.

(Four stars)