The Culture Review: Movies
‘Doctor Strange’ - a reality bending visual stunner
The film brings new blood into the MCU in the most visually trippy and exhilarating way.
Doctor Strange is a visually electrifying film with impressive CGI effects that twist and fold cityscapes in on themselves, hopping through colorful kaleidoscopic dimensions, complete with compelling acting from its cast and a comedic script that lands and makes you laugh despite yourself. Although a bit formulaic at times, the film still manages to be a breathtakingly fresh expansion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The first several minutes of the film immediately introduces mystical elements different from any we’ve seen before in the MCU. Wizards dressed in monk-like robes pull a heist on a temple and flee outside where a hooded figure does a number on time and space and the city starts morphing, the architecture and roadwork rotating. The graphics are reminiscent of Inception, but done with more finesse and obviously newer technology.
The scene then shifts to Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a successful neurosurgeon who is as intelligent as he is arrogant. In a twist of fate, he is caught in a massive car accident which causes irreparable nerve damage to his hands. He can no longer move his hands with precision and accuracy as required in his profession. Devastated, he seeks every solution science and medicine can give him, undergoing seven different surgeries. When all of these fail, he seeks alternative treatment. He catches a plane to Kathmandu, Nepal after receiving a tip from a man who was cured of paralysis. This leads him to The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who teaches a select few the secrets of magic and the universe. At Strange’s skepticism and rudeness, she blasts him off on a quick multidimensional trip full of warping colors, bizarre parallel universes, and a being that foreshadows the film’s villain. After initially refusing to gratify Strange’s arrogance, The Ancient One agrees to take him under her tutelage. Thus starts the former’s journey to becoming a sorcerer.
Benedict Cumberbatch gives an excellent performance as the lead despite an American accent that gets shaky at times. His stint on BBC’s Sherlock as the titular character prepared him for playing the aloof and arrogant Stephen Strange. The two personas only differ in levels of empathy. Cumberbatch manages to make Dr. Strange endearing and his devastation at his disability believable.
Originally in the comics, The Ancient One is supposed to be an old Tibetan man, but Marvel decided to cast a British woman in the role. This was a controversial and problematic move as it whitewashed the character and deprived Asians of media representation. Despite this though, Tilda Swinton was a commanding presence in the film, her serene performance making Strange’s journey seem more mystical. She also had some of the most profound and quotable lines in the film.
The supporting cast was strong with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo showing authenticity and emotion in his scenes and Benedict Wong as Wong bringing humor to the story.
Speaking of humor, the film’s dialogue is filled with smart and funny quips coming from heroes and villains alike. There are jokes whose punchlines come an hour later but still make you laugh. And part of the characters’ charm, especially Doctor Strange’s, comes from their humor.
Doctor Strange at certain places feels slightly formulaic. It was even a tale that Marvel had already told. Stephen Strange’s story mimics that of Tony Stark’s: an egotistical rich genius loses and injures an essential part of himself and faces an ordeal that makes him change how he perceives the world. In fact, Doctor Strange’s story is that of numerous other Hollywood movies: a white man travels to an “exotic” place to learn from a wise old mentor and surpasses his peers due to some natural talent. The film isn’t anything new storytelling-wise.
One other thing we didn’t like was how the writers treated Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), Strange’s love interest. Yes, she wasn’t a damsel in distress and that’s good, but it was as if after the initial moments of establishing her character she didn’t exist outside of the instances Strange needed her to perform a medical procedure.
What really made the film stand out was the superb world-building. Doctor Strange introduced an entirely new premise of the mystical and spiritual existing within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Sanctums that are protected by the Masters trained by the Ancient One. The primordial gods that lie in wait in different dimensions. The sling rings that help one teleport and the relics that choose the bearer. All these details make the experience more immersive and entertaining.
As a film, Doctor Strange, can stand on its own. It has all the elements to make a good movie. You wouldn’t know it was part of the MCU if not for the references to the other films in the franchise and the easter eggs.
It was risky for Marvel to adapt Doctor Strange considering it’s one of their more obscure comic titles and the magical new age elements might not have fit into the very practical and grounded MCU, but they still took a risk and it paid off. They made a truly captivating film brimming with energy and intricate imagery. Ultimately, Doctor Strange brings new blood into the MCU in the most visually trippy and exhilarating way. By Janin Volante / Denmarc Joshua Betonio
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