Directed by Scott Derrickson
Genre: Superhero
Running time: 115 minutes
Released: 2016
Produced by Marvel Studios
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under his wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Once again, Marvel has managed to deliver a solid superhero film. While it certainly had its own charm, however, Doctor Strange lacks the distinct Marvel charm that I’ve grown to love in their other films.
Dr. Steven Strange is a brilliant but arrogant and self-centered surgeon who lives his life in luxury. After a car accident cripples his hands and modern medicine is unable to restore them, he visits the mystical Kamar-Taj for a miracle. There, he studies sorcery under the Ancient One and grows both as a sorcerer and as a person over time—until the world is thrust into danger and Strange must step up to save the world from an interdimensional threat.
As typical of superhero films, Doctor Strange features yet another ridiculous comic book origin story. Unlike other Marvel films, this one lacks the charm that makes a place for the ridiculousness of comic books in the theater. While Doctor Strange does have its humor and manages to have some fun with his story, the film as a whole feels much too quiet until the battles begin, and even these battles lack the sense of urgency and intensity of the other Marvel films. The villain Kaecilius feels much too bland and weak to be a proper villain. In addition, the flow of the film feels off. For example, though Doctor Strange apparently spent quite a bit of time training in Kamar-Taj, this was unclear, and Kaecilius returns to the screen a minute after his defeat in London.
Despite its flaws, Doctor Strange was a decent film. The CGI is particularly interesting and reminiscent of Inception, especially when battles are fought in the mirror dimension. While I did not find the film to be particularly noteworthy, it had its moments. Overall, I would say it was worth watching and would recommend it to any Marvel fans or viewers looking for a decent timewaster.
Author: Austin
Austin enjoys reading fantasy books and watching a variety of films from actions to dramas. In his free time, he can be found gaming.
Ethan says
I also had a pretty mixed reaction. I like the idea of the character, but I feel like they could have gone further. Also Strange was arrogant without the charisma of Tony Stark.