A review on Hollywood feature length film ‘Doctor Strange’ (2016). The Production House is Marvel Studios while it’s Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Cast:
- Directed by Scott Derrickson
- Cinematography by Ben Davis.
- Written by Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill
- Produced Kevin Feige
Note:
In 1978, the film ‘Dr. Strange’ was released which was poor incarnation of the Marvel Comics based character. Then again in 2007, this time an animated film was released by the name of ‘Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme’.
Main Cast:
1) Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange & (voiced) as Dormammu
2) Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo
3) Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer
4) Benedict Wong as Wong
5) Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West
6) Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One
Plot:
It centers on surgeon Dr. Stephen Strange after a career-ending car accident, severely struggles with his life. Through someone he learns that an Ancient One through the mystic arts can heal up his wounds and give a meaning to his existence in this new life. With the Ancient One, he learns that there are powerful evil beings, sorcerers who are a fatal threat to all life on earth. Now it depends on Dr. Strange whether he wants to go back to his former life or stay back and defend earth from such threats?
High Points:
i – Benedict Cumberbatch did a good job as portraying the lead character as ‘Dr. Strange’. Mild performances by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Stuhlbarg and Tilda Swinton.
ii – The visual effects are eye popping attractive to watch.
iii – Humor during certain scenes are nicely placed and well thought over.
iv – The cinematography is favorable and effective combination with the visual effects.
v – The 1st secret ending just as the credits are started rolling has a guest appearance of a Marvel character.
vi – The ending strongly implicates that there would be changes in the timeline of Marvel, which is also referring to Phase 4 in Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Low Points:
i – The story is not original rather an inspired one from different bunch of films.
ii – The fight sequences are just fair really. It does not stand in the ranks of Marvel comics based films.
iii – The main antagonist Dormammu is a CGI face. I was hoping it to be a really impressive character but the Marvel comics played it safe.
iv – The red cape is live and acts in similar way as does the carpet from animated film ‘Aladdin’.
v – The 2nd secret ending after the credits are rolled is NOT worth the wait.
vi – Christine Palmer to see Dr. Strange in spiritual form though does comes in a shock but it does not take her much time to see the strange and bizarre things going around her to accept. I mean REALLY? Would you accept all this in just few minutes if it happened in real life?
Overall:
It is highly Over Rated film. It clearly did not impress me. Perhaps I had high expectations from it once I learned that this film earned 90% at Rotten Tomatoes. This feature film reminded me of ‘Kungfu Panda’ (2008) + ‘Inception’ (2010) = ‘Dr. Strange’ (2016).
Rate: 2.75 out of 5 stars
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