'Doctor Strange' - Movie Review

'Doctor Strange' - Movie Review

Benedict Cumberbatch in a still from 'Doctor Strange'

'Doctor Strange'
U/A: Action, adventure, fantasy
Director: Scott Derrickson
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen
Rating:

It's different, yet familiar. This Marvel superhero who channels his inner power into something lethal and transcending makes his stirring debut in the graphic cinema universe with all the CGI aplomb of his recent peers. But while his powers may break through barriers of time and space, his existence does not come up as unique or uplifting.

Unlike the Avengers or the X-Men, Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), an arrogant (well known for his skill on the operating table) New York neurosurgeon who breaks all the rules to save lives, suddenly finds himself limited by an accident that renders his fingers useless. The one to bear the brunt of his self-centred anguish is Christine (Rachel McAdams), a colleague who knows him too well to commit to a permanent relationship. So, off he goes in search of a cure that can bring him back to the proficiency he was once feted for, landing in Kathmandu at a spiritual martial arts retreat called the Kamar-Taj. And thereafter, he is challenged into corralling his inner demons by the Ancient one, a celtic guru (Tilda Swinton) and a protector, Wizard Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), to get at the spiritual core that could well be his new and far more enveloping power center.

Screenwriters Scott Derrickson, Jon Spaihts and C Robert Cargill make little of the titular character and his associates, preferring to swell up the experience with expansive techno-swagger that while looking classy, fails to shake off the feeling of déjà vu in its experience. A lot of the CGI appears to have been borrowed from 'Inception' and 'The Matrix' trilogy. While it obviously is a feast for the eyes, given the IMAX layout, it's not entirely convincing. Dr Strange conveniently forgets that he came to Kamar-Taj to cure his hands and just as easily manages to gain the superhero cape that supposedly takes years to master. They do tell us that he is so brilliant that he can memorize volumes in the shortest possible time but it's not enough to make us believe in the special skills he has attained from a switch-on personality change. Adding to that is his mastering the art of reversing time. But when it comes to using it, he does it selectively. Stephen becoming a member of an organisation that protects Earth from physical threats, while Kamar-Taj protects it from extraneous ones ('Thor: The Dark World' kind) is also too quick to curry favour.

Cumberbatch's superhero makes for a commanding presence amidst Scott Derrickson's jugglery of a spectacular realm with unlimited possibilities. But the depth of involvement is sorely missing.

After a scintillating opening sequence that looks like an 'Inception' dreamscape married to kaleidoscopic effects, we are introduced to the pivotal characters. And it's amusing to see the brilliant surgeon fail to convince his colleague and love, Christine into a commitment. Swinton's Ancient One, oracle with the magical powers to command time and space, looks serene and commanding but her verbal delivery comes across as less than befitting. Chiwetel Ejiofor's Mordor also has little to do other than safeguard the sidelines in order to lend Dr Strange more credence.

A still from 'Doctor Strange'

The film lacks for a strong believable villain. Mads Mikkelsen as the sorcerer gone sour doesn't have much to do other than pursue and devastate. We don't quite get to see his motivation for turning bad. While Doctor Strange works well as a fiery, highly excitable actioner, it fails to hit the core Marvel quality that combines personal transformative journeys with real-world heft with as much sweetness.

The camerawork and CGI are quite immersive. Mind bending sorcery, multiverse battles, time space interjections and more come into play so easily that it almost seems like a daily occurrence. This film may not have the playfulness of a 'Guardians of the Galaxy', but it certainly makes for an adequate fire-starter of sorts.