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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced audiences to a wide range of heroes: mechanical billionaires, alien deities, and science experiments gone horribly wrong—and it’s constantly adding new powers and new personalities to that random assortment of superheroes. Yet there’s still something surprising about the supernatural twist found in Doctor Strange.
Doctor Strange embarks on a mystical journey with Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a gifted but incredibly arrogant neurosurgeon who loses his ability to operate after a car accident limits the use of his hands. Desperate to find healing, he travels to Nepal, where he trains under a mystical master known only as The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). But when a dark sorcerer steals the key to a forbidden ritual that can bring eternal life, Strange finds himself focusing less on his own healing and more on saving the world.
Each part of the Marvel Universe has its own style and tone—from the bold, extravagant style of Iron Man to the classic patriotism of Captain America to the kookiness of Ant-Man. And Doctor Strange is certainly a different kind of Marvel movie, mixing sorcery with superhero combat, some wild effects, and a distinctive cast for a dizzyingly magical thriller.
Cumberbatch isn’t the kind of actor that you’d expect to find in a Marvel superhero movie; he’s more of an award season kind of star. But he makes a fun new hero—a kind of intellectual Tony Stark: smooth and refined yet every bit as egotistical. Like Robert Downey Jr.’s Stark, he’s the kind of hero that you’ll love to hate. He’s sharp and sarcastic and completely self-centered, yet he’s given a quirky sense of humor and just the right touches of vulnerability to make him likable.
Meanwhile, most of the supporting cast fits perfectly within the film’s sophisticated supernatural style. Tilda Swinton and Mads Mikkelsen (who plays the rival sorcerer) have always given off their own kind of eerie but refined vibe, and Chiwetel Ejiofor makes a great guide and companion for the sorcerer in training.
The more mystical story is admittedly a little hazy, as Strange battles dark forces from a spiritual realm. But the action and stunning effects easily make up for it. Whether the characters are embarking on otherworldly adventures or battling in twisting, turning buildings straight out of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, it’s all twisted and trippy and delightfully strange.
Doctor Strange is another distinctive installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you prefer the in-your-face combat of some of the other characters, it may not be your favorite—but it’s still striking and heroic in its own magical way.
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