Doctor Strange (2016)

 

Usually, Marvel films follow roughly the same pattern. This is comforting, but it also makes the oddballs stand out all the more. 'Ant-Man' is one of those, with its more humoristic take but so is 'Doctor Strange'. This does make sense, as these tales get a bit weird thanks to storylines involving other dimensions and most importantly magic.

Doctor Stephen Strange is a brilliant albeit arrogant neurosurgeon, but his life takes a turn for the worse when he is in a horrific carcrash and can no longer use his hands to practice medicine. That's a pretty big blow for someone whose only idea of meaning is to be able to perform intricate movements. When he hears of a patient who used to be paralyzed yet walks around unencumbered, he is desperate to find out how this man did it. Turns out he needs to head to the city of Kamar-Taj in Kathmandu. Here, Strange comes into contact with the Ancient One, who is actually the Sorcerer Supreme for this dimension. 

Of course Strange is sceptical at first, but he soon finds out magic is very, very real and what's even better: he has a natural ability for it. But of course not all is well, as Strange discovers some secrets are being kept and that there is a rogue group of magicians led by a man called Kaecilius who want more and wish to turn our dimension over to a being from a dark dimension called Dormammu. 

I guess you know how the rest unfolds, right?

As sometimes happens, it's not the story that is the most interesting part of this superhero adventure, nor is it the performances, even though they are pretty good, actually. No, in this case, it's the visuals that play a massive part in why this film can be so attractive. The makers did their best to convey the sense of disorientation and awe whenever dimensions shift. It seems pretty clear some people got a bit sick in theatres when seeing some of the visual effects, but if your vertigo can take it, they are actually really cool: buildings fold and expand, glass refraction is used quite a bit and up often becomes down and vice versa. Somehow it clicks. 

The villain is a weak point, though. Dormammu isn't really fleshed out enough to feel like a credible threat and Kaecilius is more of a glorified henchman. He does have some funny lines, though. 

All in all, a solid Marvel film, but perhaps a bit too spaced out for those seeking something that is more action-oriented.