If there has ever been a movie that absolutely needs to be seen in 3-D, it’s “Doctor Strange.”
Marvel Studios new movie has been raking in money at the box office, earning $85 million in its opening weekend. The beginning throws you into the world of magic and sorcery with hallucinatory visual effects coming at you faster than you can say Benedict Cumberbatch.
The movie starts out with a fight between the villain of the film, Kaecilius, and the Ancient One, who is trying to stop Kaecilius from taking off with important pages that he ripped from a mystical textbook.
Fast-forward to when eventual ruler of the magical world, Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), is introduced at the hospital where he has cemented himself as the best and smartest neurosurgeon in the world. Strange is a very arrogant man and this gives me an idea of what it is that drives his arrogant attitude.
While on his way to a conference, Strange crashes his sports car while, ironically, texting and driving (not so smart). He awakens in the hospital where his love interest, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), tells him what occurred as Strange looks in disgust at his hands that have suffered significant nerve damage, thus preventing him from ever operating on a patient again.
From handsome doctor to an unrecognizable, scraggly man that has come to loathe his life, Doctor Strange ventures to Nepal in search of a place known as Kamar-Taj, where he believes they can heal his hands. He meets the Ancient One who tells him that he can learn how to heal his hands by getting in touch with his inner self, and in doing so will put himself in a position to stop Kaecilius.
Director Scott Derrickson did a great job of fitting an action-packed storyline into a 115 minute time frame. I don’t believe there is any scene that could be considered a filler as they all are crucial to the storyline.
Cumberbatch’s superhero debut couldn’t have came in a better film and if nothing more, he has cemented himself as the single person who is suited to play this character. Yeah, he’s that good.
From someone that going in knew nothing about this character or the comic books, Marvel Studios has earned themselves a new fan through their visually appealing special effects, and perfect acting from their A-list cast. I now find myself asking, when’s the sequel?
And yes, Stan Lee does make his usual cameo in this film as well. Just don’t blink, or you might miss it.