Review: Doctor Strange
Undoubtedly Marvel's most visually arresting superhero spectacle to date, Doctor Strange immerses audiences in a psychedelic wonderland brimming with kaleidoscopic imagery. Each frame vibrates with infinite possibilities as cities are twisted, bent, folded, and turned inside out. Architecture is warped, reconfigured and tessellated, columns, walls and arches are rippled into resembling cogwheels, time is split, reversed, and fast-forwarded. It's as if director Scott Derrickson, cinematographer Ben Davis and visual effects supervisor Stephane Ceretti had taken the gravity-defying sequences from Inception, married them to M.S. Escher's perspective perplexations, and tossed in Dali's striking surrealisms for good measure.
Doctor Strange could have easily coasted on its masterful visual effects work, but it also boasts one of Marvel's most streamlined origin stories. Of course, Derrickson and co-screenwriters John Spaihts and C. Robert Cargill can afford to be briskly efficient given that Doctor Strange is the 14th entry into the MCU's now highly established multi-stranded mythology, but they also manage to strike new chords whilst playing a tune that's become all too familiar.
One could be forgiven for mistaking Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as a relative of Tony Stark's since both are exceedingly arrogant, ruthlessly ambitious, quick with a quip, but clumsy with emotions. Strange is a brilliant neurosurgeon living in an enviable New York apartment, a sports car that wouldn't look out of place in a Bond film, and a drawer full of luxury watches. He barely bothers to hide his contempt for colleagues like Dr. Nicodemus West (Michael Stuhlbarg), though he at least regards colleague and former flame Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) with something resembling actual human feelings. An unfortunate act of recklessness results in a car accident that leaves both of Strange's hands severely damaged. For a man whose self-worth is tied to success, his inability to heal himself propels him into a dangerous mania as he frantically searches for anything that could restore his former abilities.
His desperation leads him to Kathmandu where he meets the mysterious Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and the even more enigmatic Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Initially skeptical of the Ancient One's methods of healing ("I know how to reorient the spirit to better heal the body," she tells him upon their first encounter), Strange eagerly submits to the Ancient One's training after she introduces him to a world where anything and everything is possible. With their help, along with the hilariously humourless Wong (Benedict Wong), Strange learns to subsume his ego in order to master his burgeoning superpowers. As ever, with great power comes great responsibility as Strange must do battle with Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a former disciple of the Ancient One's who intends to summon forth Dormammu of the Dark Dimension in order to eradicate time and possess eternal life.
As with previous Marvel entries, Doctor Strange expertly combines action, humour and drama. One hospital sequence is a prime example of this hallmark as the astral forms of Strange and one of Kaecilius' henchmen combat one another whilst Christine tends to Strange's wounded earthly form. Strange's magical Cloak of Levitation provides comic relief as it shields Strange and forcefully guides him to use better weaponry such as the impressive mail armour that leeches onto and then imprisons opponents. Doctor Strange also has Marvel's most heartbreaking moment as one character wistfully acknowledges the inevitability of shuffling off one's mortal coil.
The showdowns between Strange and Kaecilius are exhilarating and spectacular as they manipulate time and space. One particular sequence is a festival of fragmentation as Kaecilius turns New York into a living, breathing puzzle whose pieces keep transforming shapes and angles as Strange and Mordo scramble for stability. Yet no one moment may be as thrilling as the one where Swinton's Ancient One announces her intention to throw down with Kaecilius. Much has been made of Swinton's white-casting yet no one could have been more perfect than the extraterrestrial and androgynous Swinton, who delights with her calm authority, shades of menace, and gossamer light wit.
Similarly, Cumberbatch makes for a most ideal Strange, skillfully conveying the cockiness and vulnerability as Strange struggles with his personal demons. There's a wonderful effortlessness to Cumberbatch's portrayal, but one that is imbued with immense depth of feeling. Yet everyone is in excellent form here, even relatively underused players like Ejiofor, McAdams and Stuhlbarg, all of whom will presumably have greater roles to play in future installments.
Doctor Strange
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Written by: John Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong, Benjamin Bratt, Mads Mikkelsen, Scott Adkins, Amy Landecker
