Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you learn to fly. Doctor Strange, one of Marvel’s best movies, rings true to this from beginning to end.
The film introduces Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a skilled neurosurgeon whose arrogance throws him into destruction – and redemption. After a crippling accident, he travels to the enigmatic Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), seeking a cure. What he finds instead is a war of mystics, which transforms him and his perspective of the world forever.
Doctor Strange adds an entirely new dimension to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, and with it new heights of action and humor. The inner complexity of the characters makes them some of the most dynamic and engaging of any Marvel movie. The rapports are perfect; Doctor Strange and his fellow trainee, Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), form a bond of teaching/learning and giving/taking that furthers the message of the balance of mind-body-spirit which is required in order to find your true potential. At the same time, Strange and his ex-coworker, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), create some of the funniest moments in the movie as the “weirdness” of his new life yanks her out of her own.
Every component of the movie is perfect. The cinematography hooks the eye and challenges it, and stunning special effects collide with the cinematography to create awesome visuals which enhance the action. Many energetic fight scenes combined with the soundtrack keep the film’s pulse flowing while staying true to Marvel’s flavor. Great character growth drives the plot: Doctor Strange turns from arrogant and amusingly irritating, to humorous and truly heroic as he sheds his sour outlook and unleashes his true potential. As he grows, so does the world around him. One complexity leads to another, and the entanglement and suspense are relentlessly gripping.
A must-see that hooks you in and leaves you with a rush, Doctor Strange absolutely rates 5 out of 5 stars.