Now Showing: Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange brings new magic and mystical energy to the Marvel cinematic universe with its most recent hero.

Amelie Lee, Asst. Feature Editor

All show and no substance, Marvel’s newest movie, “Doctor Strange,” works to mask a cliche plot with flashy visual effects and famous actors. Marvel’s attempt to transition from self righteous heroes off to save the world to a more guarded and mystical atmosphere will strike viewers as the same repetitive storyline that superhero fans are accustomed to.

Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch with an unsettling  American accent, is a talented yet narcissistic surgeon. When his hands are permanently injured in a car crash, the workaholic doctor searches far and wide to find  a cure, in the hopes of returning to his career alongside the lovely nurse Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams).

Instead, Dr. Strange finds the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and her group of magic wielding students, which includes the two sources of diversity in the movie: Baron Mordo (Chilwetel Ejiofor) and Wong (Benedict Wong).

While Iron Man’s talents are due to his ingeniously designed suit, and Captain America’s strength is due to a serum, Dr. Strange’s powers do not base themselves on any sort of scientific explanation.

Instead, magic formed by “manipulating mystical energy of the universe” is used to justify the incarnations that Dr. Strange uses. The ex-surgeon progresses with his daily training in the world of magic. He soon discovers that a former student of the Ancient One, Kaecillius (Mads Mikkelsen), is working for the powerful entity Dormmamu of the Dark Dimension–threatening everything magic holds dear and breaking the natural laws of the universe.

Various fights between the two sides break out, leaving our hero to put his new powers to the test. With his newfound magic and quick thinking, Dr. Strange is a brilliant stereotypical hero, able to fight off every threat in his way.

In fact, the entire movie was reminiscent of almost every other superhero movie that has hit theatres. “Doctor Strange” followed the predictable story arc of a normal guy discovering a deeper supernatural world and mastering his powers just in time to face an imminent threat. The storyline reeked of cliche quotes and less than shocking plot twists.

Despite its mediocre plot, the visual effects of the movie were spellbinding. As our heroes twisted the dimensions of the known physical world, Marvel did a fantastic job of implementing a complex mirror dimension of reflections and optical illusions.

Along with the enthralling visual effects, the casting of the film was fitting. Cumberbatch perfectly embodies his role as an egotistic prodigy sorcerer exploring a new world, and kept me engaged the entire movie. His fellow sorcerers played by Wong and Ejiofor both were a source of well-placed comic relief throughout the movie.

Overall, “Doctor Strange” will not provide a novel superhero film experience for those looking for one. While well-casted and visually appealing, the movie did not meet my expectations for a new genre of eerie and otherworldly powers in the Marvel universe.