By Bernie ‘The Movie Guy’ Ment
Contributing Writer
The Marvel Universe is chock full of narcissistic, self-centered characters who eventually pay the price for their egotistical arrogance. Doctor Strange was indeed the epitome of just that mantra.
Strange was a renowned surgeon whose abilities were beyond compare, able to save some of the toughest cases on the table before an ultimate demise. In fact, his legendary abilities are on full display as this movie opens. In his arrogance and mistaken belief in his own immortality, this gifted, talented man makes a near fatal mistake when he risks his own life and those of others as well as he recklessly speeds his car along a coastal highway where he eventually follows the fate of many others who do the same stupid thing.
He’s rushed back to the same hospital where he practices, but unfortunately no one there is quite up to his own miraculous ability. While they save Strange’s life, they cannot repair his hands. With his own belief that nothing could stop him, Strange lost the one gift he had — his abilities to save lives is lost forever.
He seeks out professional help to restore the gift, but many are unable to help and others refuse to, knowing that failure will blot their own stellar reputations. In his own despair, Strange lashes out at those around them, including his girlfriend, fellow surgeon Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) who maintains a positive attitude in the wake of Strange’s behavior.
With the realization finally taking hold that he has no chance to regain his abilities, Strange sets out in search of miracle cures. He travels to the Far East on a quest for the source of a rumor of an ‘Ancient One’ who might help restore his body to its original condition. Instead, his eyes are opened to a larger mystical world where control lies in the mind rather than the body and not all is what it appears to be.
Of course, where there is mysticism, there is also malevolence and therein lies the crux of this tale as the forces of evil seek to unleash powerful magic onto the world and only the good guys can stem the flow of the evil before it can engulf our fragile existence.
This was always one of my favorite characters in the comics when I was growing up, and I always hoped they would find a way to bring him to the big screen. Of course, the magic makers at Marvel Studios have done another amazing job bringing the character to life for movie audiences.
Benedict Cumberbatch is the quintessential actor who can throw himself into just about any part. He even resembles the original character in an uncanny way, especially when grey begins to creep into his sideburns. After seeing this movie, I couldn’t even imagine anyone else playing this role.
Stuck in his shadow, though, Rachel McAdams is little more than ballast as his non-magical prosaic girlfriend. I sincerely hope they find more for her to do in a sequel, or at least in Strange’s next onscreen appearance.
As Mordo, Chiwetel Ejiofor starts out as a friend to Strange, but as fans of the comics know, he will eventually undermine his fellow mage and become a new enemy. The talented actor does a good job of laying the seeds of betrayal and if you watch carefully, you can see them develop in his portrayal.
A lot of controversy was raised when Tilda Swinton was revealed to be the Ancient One who was always male in the comics. Swinton easily quashes the skepticism with her portrayal, however, and is practically perfect in the role.
Aside from the underutilization of McAdams, this is a well crafted updating of the Doctor Strange legend and comics fans should be pleased and non-fans should absolutely be entertained even with the mystical elements that some may find distracting to the story.
The one thing that truly impressed me is the twisting and reshaping of buildings and pathways that allow the characters to parkour their way from scene to scene. The deft manipulation of their landscape takes even a masterpiece on a par with 2010s “Inception” to a whole new level we’ve never seen before.
This is the fall’s first true blockbuster and deserves to be seen on the big screen. I give “Doctor Strange” 4.5 out of five stars.
