It has been a while since Marvel/Disney has released a bad film, and with Iron Man Doctor Strange, Disney continues its hot streak. I don’t think Doctor Strange will be remembered as one of Marvel’s best, but it is a fun film that adds some visual flare to the standard Marvel superhero origin story.
Like with many other superheroes, Doctor Strange starts with a rich white guy (Benedict Cumberbatch) who looses his ability to make himself rich. In this case he is a star surgeon who after a car crash can no longer keep his hands steady. He tries everything to fix them, to no avail, so as a last ditch effort he decides to try Eastern Spiritual Medicine, but he gets more than he bargained for, and instead becomes a superhero sorcerer. Not a bad trade.
The overall plot is not Doctor Strange’s strong suit. I mean if you close your eyes you may think you are watching Iron Man again. Jerky rich guys are born to be superheroes I guess, and Marvel still needs to find an interesting movie villain. We can’t hope for Loki to show up in every movie. Not that the plot or the script are bad. It is just that we have seen them before from Marvel.
Luckily to cover up the lack of originality director Scott Derrickson amps up the visual craziness. Doctor Strange still has Marvel’s signature look, but it has been smashed together with a neon version of Inception. The movie looks great, always showing you something new and interesting. If you can’t tell the movies apart based on their plot at least you will know what you are watching based off the special effects.
Benedict Cumberbatch was born to be a Marvel superhero. He delivers the witty dialog with aplomb. He will be a great addition to their lineup. I can’t wait to see him stand up with the rest of the gang. Though it is time for Marvel to try and diversify the makeup of their heroic cast.
Despite having seen this story before, at least it is a good story, and one that they were able to amp up visually. Doctor Strange may not be the new direction Marvel needs to find to stay relevant, but at least it is an entertaining flick, and one that I can recommend to people who like Marvel’s formula. If you are looking for something different, you may have to wait a bit longer.