Doctor Strange is Marvel’s funniest, wittiest and most spectacular entry yet. Stephen Strange is to Benedict Cumberbatch what Tony Stark is to Robert Downey Jr. Just as how we find it impossible to imagine anyone else playing Iron Man other than RDJ, Cumberbatch totally fits and owns this part. It feels as if Strange and Stark are brothers from different mothers. And there are similarities in their origin stories too. Both are sarcastic and have an inflated ego. If I have to mention one strong reason to watch this film, it’s Cumberbatch. He is the best thing that happened to the MCU since Robert Downey Jr.
He is responsible for most of the film’s hilarious moments. Speaking of the visuals – they are absolutely stunning!These are some of the most realistic VFX shots ever put to film. If you are a fan of science fiction, you’ll find the film quite stimulating as there are numerous ideas that you’ve seen before in other blockbusters explored here as well. There are time loops, time warps, reversing time, astral trips, traveling across dimensions and, of course, sorcery. It’s like a blend of ideas from The Matrix, Inception, Batman Begins, Star Wars, Star Trek, Edge of Tomorrow, 2001: A Space Odyssey etc. Some of the architecture bending sequences can be described as “Inception multiplied by 10”.
My favorite sequence is the one where Cumberbatch and Mikkelsen are fighting each other while time (and matter) are going backward. Is this Marvel’s best film yet? Not quite. That rank is still held by Captain America’: The Winter Soldier in my book. The same flaw that was present in all the other Marvel films is present here too – the lack of a compelling villain. Mads Mikkelsen is just another generic villain, someone who resembles Darth Maul from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. There is nothing memorable or extraordinary about him. We’ve seen Mikkelsen do better stuff in the past (‘Hannibal’ anyone?). However, he is quite witty.
This is Marvel going in a completely different direction but it still follows their usual formula. The film’s soul is same as that of the first Iron Man. More focus on character development and visuals. And this is a film that is supposed to be seen in 3D. There are two post credits sequences and without spoiling anything, I would say that one of them reveals a surprise twist about a certain character in this film and the other shows Strange meeting with one of the Avengers, who came to him seeking help. So, now you might want to know if the overall film is worth the ticket price. Definitely!
