Stranger Things

Rating: 8/10 (27 October 2016)

For Doctor Strange being the fourteenth outing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe you would be forgiven for wondering whether by now things had become rote, stale and all too predictable as the allotted characters slot into place. It is with great enthusiasm and joy then that I can report that this entry is bar Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel's riskiest outing to date.
Stephen Strange is an egotistical, cocky, suave son-of-a-bitch and yeah as it turns out he is also a doctor; one that only helps those that have a 100% chance of being fixed up or cured. One day though he has a terrible accident leaving his hands broken and therefore any hope of him continuing his work is soon put to rest. Upon learning of a secret temple that may be able to fix him he travels and is taught the wise old ways of an ancient being. Soon Dr Strange will be the only hope that this world has to be saved from the oncoming doom that threatens it.
First things first let's get the bad out of the way and then onto the great. Rachel McAdams is fine as Christine Palmer (I had to look up her name beforehand, never a good sign) but is sadly underwritten. She has no depth, we know as much as she had a relationship with Strange, conflicted as it may have been. But we don't actually know her as a person, given this much time, eight years in fact it's sad that Black Widow remains the only female character in the Marvel Universe that has been served well. A minor quibble to be sure but the product placement in the first act at least is irritating and shoved blatantly in your face. To the point of embarrassment with Adidas and Coke being the main culprits if you require solid proof.
The acting talent here though is supreme, from Cumberbatch to Mikkelson. Cumberbatch of course imbues personality and a roughness of edge to his character without borrowing too heavily from Robert Downey Jr's performance as Iron Man. You only care more about him as the film approaches its truly dazzling climax that is a wonder to behold. Mikkelson's character may not be the easiest to sympathise or come to terms with but he's always intriguing to watch (Casino Royale was proof ten years ago) so it's a shame it's taken this long again for him to come into the fold as a central villain, that get this, actually poses a threat to our heroes.
The action dazzles; a mix of Star Trek's action pounding thrills and humour in the strangest of places with a dash of the visual wonder of 2001: A Space Odyssey for good measure. It must be said that it is not often if at all that I compare a Blockbuster to Kubrick's masterwork. Marvel once again defies expectations and for once a film in their universe does not climax with a gigantic blue lazer beaming up into the sky. Yes the consequences of the battle may be earth shattering but the film is too steeped in its lore and characters for it to be formulaic in its approach in the slightest. It borrows off of Inception without feeling like a rip off and mixes up the Marvel formula just enough to ensure that a feeling of seeing this all too often and before, not once, not even for a fleeting second seeps into the picture. DC could learn a trick or two from Marvel and perhaps may need to if they are to ensure their survival.
Scott Derrickson is to be sure a strange (see what I did there) choice for this project, not least because the majority of films with him at the helm have been horrors and none taken to all that kindly by critics. Based on his work on Doctor Strange however, should be a primer for things to come; intelligence, craftsmanship and action handled with rare skill and offering up sympathy for its characters.
Doctor Strange is best viewed off of impulse with knowing very little about the title character. Its central romance may be underwhelming but rest assured that this is the only element of the entirety of the film that disappoints. The action thrilling, the stakes personal, real and potent, the characters interesting and a film lover's wet dream come to life in terms of the visuals anyhow. If you pass up the chance to see Marvel's latest on the big screen then maybe it's time that you had your mind expanded tooÂ…
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