Need some action in your other-wise boring life? Head over to the nearest theater to catch Doctor Strange and you won’t be disappointed. Far from it!
Doctor Strange – Marvel’s latest feather in its movie cap is perhaps one of its brightest and not to mention the trippiest. Right from mirror dimensions, magic portals and pop music references, the movie packs a punch in every scene. This is what “kickassery” looks like.
The What
The film opens with a group of zealots led by Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) breaking into a library and stealing a page after murdering the librarian in classic ninja fashion. An inception-like chase ensues where the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) is trying to stop the zealot group, folding buildings like origami and killing them with fire fans.
The Zealot group is trying to take over the three sanctums and lead evil Dormammu, the powerful lord of the Dark Dimension to Earth. Kaecilius happens to be a rogue disciple of the Ancient One – the Sorcerer Supreme who protects the earth from mythical evils.
Meanwhile, Dr, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) – an incredibly successful and arrogant neurosurgeon – gets into a bad accident where he damages his hands severely. He will never be able to operate again. In his anguish to get life back on track and be a surgeon again, he travels to Kathmandu, where he meets Mordo and The Ancient One.
Doctor Strange learns magic, martial arts and more from The Ancient One, but will he be able to defend the Earth when Dormammu and the Zealots come for it?
Who
Benedict Cumberbatch rocks an American accent as much as he rocks “the cloak of levitation.” The special effects of the movie tear you away from reality and hurl you into the abyss of dimensions of the multiverse.
A special shout out to Tilda Swinson for doing a splendid job of portraying The Ancient One, a character layered with more grey than a pyre of ash.
Kaecilius, although convincingly conniving, could use a little more valuable screen-time, given Mads Mikkelsens’ amazing acting skills. (NBC’s Hannibal? anyone?)
Rachel McAdams, who plays Dr. Christine Palmer and Doctor Strange’s love interest in the movie, hardly has much to add.
Why Watch
The movie, at several points, reminds you of other fantasy movies like Harry Potter, Inception and The Lord of the Rings. You don’t mind reconnecting the dots because by the time you get around to connecting them, you’re already on to the next scene that’s blowing your mind away!
The movie carries the quintessential Marvel touch of the hero trying to battle his demons. Dialogues like “We never lose our demons, we learn to live above them,” remind us of a familiar plot line but that is more its strength than its weakness.
The visuals are pure glee and you find yourself exclaiming in delight several times. You will hate the interval for disrupting your experience. This is definitely worth watching more than a couple of times on the big screen.
Doctor Strange is a roller coaster ride and it’s best to watch it without your seat belts on!
Here’s the trailer for starters:
