Marvel’s Doctor Strange Review

Kylie Thompson (she/her) is a poet and scenestr reviewer based in Brisbane. You can find her writing about literary festivals, pop culture cons and movies.

Doctor Stephen Strange is your stereotypical egocentric surgeon, quick to sing his own praises and show up those around him.


But when a car wreck destroys his hands, Strange has two choices: either submit to the inevitable end of his career or find a solution. It’d be a dull movie if he gave in, so instead he heads to Nepal, chasing a rumoured healer who might just be able to save him. He’d thought, of course, that it would be experimental medicine, not chakras and astral travel. But the American doctor with a love of logic finds himself dragged into a mystical world well outside the scope of his training.

‘Marvel's Doctor Strange’ is the weirdest addition to the MCU to date, and that includes a trigger-happy raccoon. Still, it’s hard not to enjoy this film. Like ‘Avatar’, this is a movie that needed to wait until the effects caught up to the idea. The effects department had their work cut out for them here, and they’ve risen to the challenge masterfully. Visually, ‘Marvel's Doctor Strange’ is stunning, though if you’ve got epilepsy or vertigo, it might be problematic at points.

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Let’s be honest here: lead actor Benedict Cumber batch is playing an American accented, multiverse Sherlock, so it’s not what you’d call a stretch for him. But it works, and well. Yet again, Marvel’s casting makes it hard to imagine any other actor succeeding in the role.

Rachel McAdams’ portrayal of potential love interest Dr. Christine Palmer deserves far more time in future endeavours: she’s a compelling character on her own, but it’s also great to see a character not just rolling with the insanity around them.

Yet it’s the character of Mordo – played to perfection by Chiwetel Ejiofor – that I can’t wait to see more from. Marvel seems to have a habit of making secondary characters worthy of their own movie franchises, and Mordo’s character arc looks like it’ll be a doozy.

The script is well written, with Marvel’s trademark balance between dramatic action, character development and comedy. And there’s violence. Weird, possibly hilarious violence (this depends on your perspective, I suppose). It’s the sort of engrossing, ‘did they just…?’ affair that leaves you desperate to see how all of these disparate movies, characters and plotlines will come together for ‘Infinity Wars’.

Yet, for all the dazzling effects and mystical ideology, and the potential for whacky over-the-top shenanigans, there’s a serious and emotionally compelling story being told in ‘Marvel's Doctor Strange’. This certainly isn’t a frivolous, silly movie, even as it keeps audiences laughing and dazzled. The real magic here lies in the characters and story, and it’s hard not to leave the cinema desperate for more.

Anyone who loves the MCU knows better than to step out before the end of the credits, but friendly reminder for the uninitiated: stay for all the credits and prepare to flail at the screen.

★★★★1/2

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