Release date:February 28, 2017
Studio:Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios
Director:Scott Derrickson
MPAA Rating:PG-13 (for sci-fi violence and action throughout, and an intense crash sequence)
Screenwriters:Joshua Oppenheimer, Thomas Dean Donnelly, Jon Spaihts
Starring:Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton, Scott Adkins, Amy Landecker, Benedict Wong
Genre:Thriller, Sci-Fi
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To start things off I have to say that this movie is visually stunning! The level of intricacy displayed in the magic symbols is breathtakingly gorgeous! I was very impressed with how the visual effects team was able to bend the reality of this world! I also enjoyed the use of practical sets, which were also amazing.
Now as far a the storyline goes I felt that it was good. It moved you along without making you feel rushed, although I think I would have liked just a little more development of Strange’s character and his interaction with the people around him.
The story from the beginning shows Strange to be definitely full of himself yet incredibly skilled at what he does! He is a world class neuro-surgeon who, due to a massive accident, loses the full use of his hands. This, of course, sends him into a deep spiral of depression which causes him to lash out at nearly all of his friends and colleagues and after he exhausts nearly all of his resources he ends up in Nepal where he, through persistence ends up winning the attention of “The Ancient One, played by Tilda Swanson. Now here is where I must express my disappointment with their casting choice. For me, I would have liked to have seen someone of a different ethnicity come in. It seemed a bit out of place, for me, to have Tilda in this role because she didn’t seem to fit the style of the film. That is not to say that her performance was off, in fact she presented a very calm and centered portrayal of this character while also bringing in a hint of vulnerability.
The story continues, showing Dr. Strange being trained in the mystical arts (which, of course, he picks up almost immediately) and then he is off to take on the main bad guy, who was introduced earlier and played by Mads Mikkelsen .
There is plenty of action and stimulation for your senses in this film, but there is a lovely gem as well in the form of humor. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a larger than life character a real humanity. He is funny, pained, desperate, awkward, and powerful.
In short, I would say that Marvel did a wonderful job of bringing this comic to the screen and I’m looking forward to seeing the crossovers.
