'DOCTOR STRANGE' which I saw last weekend is the fourteenth instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the guise of one Doctor Stephen Strange, a lesser known character in the comic canon, but one nonetheless who has carved out a niche following and who has been around since being created by artist Steve Ditko in 1963, with Stan Lee penning the mystical mind bending story. Made for US$165M, the early Reviews of 'Doctor Strange' have been very positive, with Marvel looking as though they have backed another winner, with the Box Office tally so far amounting to US$123M, with it's US release date being 4th November. With Scott Derrickson in the Director's Chair and also taking a Screenplay and Story credit, Benedict Cumberbatch playing the title role and ably supported by a strong cast that includes Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams and Benjamin Bratt, and all the touchstones from the MCU that we have come to know, love and expect, I think it's fair to say that we are going to be seeing more of the good Doctor in future standalone and cross-over instalments.
The film opens in an ancient looking library of sorts where arrives Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) and two of his henchmen through some kind of magical portal. They behead the librarian and steal some select pages from an ancient and mystical book, and with their business done they disappear from whence they came. Meanwhile, we are introduced to the brilliant and world acclaimed neurosurgeon Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as he preforms intricate surgery on a patient, assisted by Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) - his former love interest. Strange whilst brilliant is egotistical, self-opinionated and not good on a personal level with emotions, empathy and relationships. He has all the trappings of a hugely successful career though - penthouse suite overlooking the city, fast car, public speaking engagements, designer suits, and an extensive exclusive watch collection for every occasion. He is much sought after for his brilliance on the operating table, and is keen to keep pushing the envelope of medical research to advance his know how, his skills and to keep at the top of his game.
One evening en route to a high profile public speaking engagement at the wheel of his sports car, he veers out of control and through a mountain side crash barrier, down a ravine being turned every which way as his car crumples around him gradually coming to rest on its end and half submerged in the water on the outskirts of the city. He comes round sometime later after having had extensive surgery performed on him to repair the damage done to both of his crushed hands. He is distraught, as his hands are the very tools he so relies on to perform the intricate surgery that he is world renowned for. What is he to do?
After months of seeking out the means with which to repair his hands and restore them to their former abilities, and only failing in the process and using up all of his accumulated wealth in the meantime, Strange seeks out a Jonathan Pangborn (Benjamin Bratt) whom he has been told was a paraplegic who mysteriously was able to walk again. Pangborn tells Strange that his healing must come from within and directs him to Kathmandu and to a place known as Kamar-Taj. And so using the last of his available funds he travels to Nepal out of desperation and in a last ditch attempt to find a cure for his hands to heal, the way Pangborn has been healed.
Arriving at Kamar-Taj he is taken in by Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and introduced to The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) - the Sorcerer Supreme who has lived for a very long, albeit undisclosed, time and has taught all comers over that time. The initial introductions do not go according to plan and Strange is kicked out on the street for his arrogance, but eventually the two relent and allow the Doctor back in. The Ancient One shows Strange her power to help him believe in the power beyond our own understanding, our own universe and our own dimensions. 'Through the mystic arts we harness energy to shape reality' she tells him. This time Strange eats humble pie and begs for The Ancient One to teach him. Months pass as Strange becomes the model pupil, devouring the books from the library to quench his thirst for knowledge and understanding, aided by Librarian Wong (Benedict Wong), and practicing the mystical arts to a point where he can harness such powers and command them.
Strange learns of Kaecilius and that he was a former pupil of Kamar-Taj and The Ancient One, and that it was he who killed the librarian and stole the pages from the The Ancient One's collection of books and forbidden texts from the same place he has now taken up residence in. Strange also learns that the world is protected from the otherworldly dimensions by a spell that connects three buildings (called Sanctums) located in London, New York and Hong Kong. The task of the sorcerers, through Kamar-Taj, is to protect all three Sanctums. Pangborn, however, chose to pass up on this opportunity and channel his newly learned mystical powers into regaining the use of his legs and making his body whole again. As for Kaecilius, he moved to the dark side following the death of those closest to him, believing that everyone should have the opportunity to live as long as The Ancient One, and as such has turned against Kamar-Taj for his own personal gain and immortality.
Kaecilius and his henchmen begin to call up the all powerful ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. In the Dark Dimension time does not exist and therefore everyone can live forever. Dormammu sees our humble little green planet as rich pickings for a take over. Kaecilius sets his energy in motion using the stolen texts from The Ancient One back at Kamar-Taj. The London Sanctum is destroyed, leaving Strange to exit Kamar-Taj post haste and to make to New York to protect the Sanctum there. Here, Strange and Kaecilius meet head to head, fist to fist and toe to toe for the first time. Strange is aided by the mystical red 'Cloak of Levitation' which sourced him out having a will of its own, and which helps keep his antagonists at bay until Mordo and The Ancient One arrive to provide the necessary back up.
A foot chase follows through the streets of New York, where Kaecilius uses his dark mystical powers to distort reality as the city scape inverts itself, building collapse in on themselves, and the world is turned upside down, inside out and every which way unimaginable. This is minding bending stuff the like of which we saw in 'Inception' a few years ago, but not to this scale it must be said, and all the while, Strange and Co. and chasing, fighting and evading Kaecilius and Co. It's a wild ride man! In the fracas The Ancient One is injured, but not before Kaecilius reveals that she has gained her strength and longevity by tapping into The Dark Dimension for her power. Her injuries are life threatening and she dies on the operating table back in Strange's own hospital, with a bewildered Palmer looking on, wondering WTF just happened here?
With Strange and Mordo distracted with the death of The Ancient One, Kaecilius departs for the Hong Kong Sanctum. By the time Strange and Mordo arrive, the Dark Dimension has already been summonsed and is beginning to engulf the city with mounting destruction and a rising body count. Strange has another trick up his sleeve, in the form of the mystical 'Eye of Agamotto' - an amulet he retrieved form Kamar-Taj that he now wears around his neck and with which he can command time. Strange turns back time so reversing the effect of The Dark Dimension on the city and its people. In the process he creates an ever lasting time loop in which he and Dormammu are seemingly caught forever reliving the same moment over, and over and over again. In time with constant chiding by Strange, Dormammu grows weary of the repetitiveness and agrees to leave Earth and take his disciples with him, in exchange for Strange breaking the loop.
Needless to say all's well that ends well for Strange, and the people of Hong Kong and the citizens of the world. Mordo however, exits stage left disgusted that Strange and The Ancient One dare defy the forces of nature by bending time to save humanity. Strange becomes The Sorcerer Supreme now that The Ancient One has left this mortal coil, and retreats back to the New York Sanctum acting as the guardian there armed to the teeth with his new found and already proven metaphysical abilities, and his now trademark red Cloak of Levitation.Watch out for the mid-credits sequence involving a one on one fireside chat over a never ending litre of beer with Thor in which Strange questions Thor's decision to bring his brother Loki to Earth to search for their father Odin. Strange wants Loki off our planet quick smart and agrees to help Thor in his search - a nod here to the upcoming 'Thor : Ragnarok' due in November 2017. In the end credits sequence, Mordo visits Pangborn in his workshop and steals back the powers that he has to walk claiming that Earth already has too many sorcerers, leaving Pangborn in a crumpled crippled state on the floor! And finally, watch out for the obligatory Stan Lee cameo - hilarious!
I enjoyed this new mystical mind bending, time warping, psychedelic addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Cumberbatch is perfectly cast in the role and does the character justice in this origin story that sets the foundation for more to come as we are told after the end credits have rolled. Marvel have here once again proved themselves far superior in bringing their rich comic heritage to the big screen in new, inventive and unique ways that keep us entertained, amused and ultimately coming back for more - far more so than those from the other side of the fence, DC! This film and this character is unlike any we have hitherto seen, and as such Doctor Strange provides a welcome shot in the arm for the SuperHero genre, that will help invigorate that universe and take it in a new direction. 'The Avengers protect the world from physical dangers, we safeguard it against more mystical threats' exclaims Wong, and here the portal opens setting the scene for future Strange instalments and cross-over episodes as inevitably worlds collide. Bring it on! Catch 'Doctor Strange' on the big screen - it's well worth your $20 for the solid story, the great visuals and strong performances.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
