Review: 'Doctor Strange' casts marvelous mojo
With apologies to Jim Morrison: When you’re Strange, everyone remembers your name.
A kaleidoscope of weirdness and innovative visual effects successfully introduce the newest Marvel superhero in director/co-writer Scott Derrickson’s brilliantly bizarre Doctor Strange (*** out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters nationwide Nov. 4). Benedict Cumberbatch plays Stephen Strange with enchanting spirit and a clever wit, giving comic-book movies another goateed icon who can hang alongside Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark.
This new origin story takes a bit of the Iron Man formula: cocky rich guy suffers an injury, learns humility and saves the day. In Strange’s case, he’s a talented but arrogant neurosurgeon who can’t be bothered to work in the ER, much to the chagrin of his surgeon ex-girlfriend Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). Because he's alienated everyone else, she's the one who cares for him after a nasty car accident crushes his hands and leaves him jobless.
Sneak peek: 'Doctor Strange' debuts a new magic man
When traditional treatment can’t fix his body, Strange heads to Nepal in search of alternative medicine and one last shot at getting his groove back. There he meets a secret group of world-protecting sorcerers led by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), a bald androgynous guru who literally blows his mind and shows Strange the multiverse is bigger than one man.
Known for his work as a horror director, Derrickson (Sinister) crafts a trippy phantasmagoria for Strange to fly screaming through as he begins his path to sorcerer supreme. The only thing missing is a Doors jam as the sequence unfolds a dizzying blend of psychedelia, geometric oddities and nightmarish dreamscapes.
Strange's journey to becoming a hero involves magical weaponry and traveling through different dimensions, though he can’t seem to get over himself. “Surrender your ego and your power will rise,” the Ancient One tells Strange. He needs to get it together post haste: Former student Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) and his creepy goon squad have stolen a couple pages from a forbidden magical tome and intend to conjure up an apocalyptically dark situation.
Saying the battles are out of this world would be technically accurate and also an understatement. Kaecilius chases Strange and colleague Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) through New York, folding buildings onto each other and bending skyscrapers to create an M.C. Escher-style Big Apple. The way the wizarding good guys use helpful accessories like Strange’s signature Cloak of Levitation — a character in itself — makes Harry Potter magic look like amateur hour at a kid’s birthday party.
Tilda Swinton explains finger tutting at the 'Doctor Strange' premiere
For those who don’t already know their Wand of Watoomb from their Eye of Agamotto, there is an overwhelming amount of information to absorb in terms of dimensions and mythology (though geekier fans will revel in it). Doctor Strange also exhibits a needed sense of humor to balance the world-threatening nature of it all. Some of the goofier gags fall flat but scenes between Strange and hard-nosed librarian/drill sergeant Wong (Benedict Wong) sparkle.
Derrickson has rounded up a deep cast of tried-and-true thespians. Ejiofor gives Mordo, a warrior who saves the rookie magic man, an earnest quality but also some gravitas for future adventures. As the Ancient One, Swinton adds sass, emotional depth and a little frailty to the wise-warrior archetype. Her performance will put to rest any remaining concerns about the character not being the Asian man of the comics.
And with Cumberbatch as a fellow who’s perfectly Strange, this Doctor is down to leave you spellbound.