Doctor Strange (2016) | Nattosheru Review

Hello superhero lovers. Today I want to talk about one more movie of the famous Marvel Cinematic Universe, besides being the first installment where we are introduced to one of the most powerful and relevant beings today, Doctor Strange. I liked this movie a lot, especially for the special effects and the vision they give to reality and time. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, this film features the distinctive leading role of Benedict Cumberbatch, as well as the participation of other actors such as Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film is a curiously well-crafted combination of fantasy, science fiction and action.

The film introduces us to Doctor Stephen Strange, a very famous neurosurgeon who, due to a car accident, has lost the ability to use his hands, which are the main tools of his remarkable work. Christina Palmer, his ex-lover and current co-worker, tries to encourage him, but due to her frustration and desperation to get his hands healed quickly, he seeks endless experimental surgeries. With no success, he learns of a strange case of a paraplegic who suddenly started walking again. Upon getting in touch with him, he suggests that he go to Kamar-Taj in Nepal. Arriving there, the doctor is greeted by a sorcerer of sorts named Karl Mordo.

Mordo takes Strange to The Ancient One, a great sorceress who has lived an indefinite amount of time and who has been teaching all the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj. She shows the astral plane to our doctor, who is amazed to see how the different dimensions that exist are comparable to the dimensions of the mirror, this being its great power. He asks her to show him more, but his skeptical attitude causes him to be rejected at first. After much insistence, they let him learn the magical arts, while he is in charge of both wizards. Strange seeks information from ancient books in the library, including books with forbidden texts.

Below, I will leave you the trailer of the movie:

This movie was one of those that blew my mind, even though it didn't really grab my attention. While the interest was there, I wasn't and still am not a big fan of this Marvel character. Sure, I must admit that Benedict Cumberbatch's work is very admirable when playing Doctor Stephen Strange. But, beyond that, what really impressed me, beyond the characters, the scripts and the story they try to tell, are the special effects, which took them to the extreme by demonstrating as a kind of interpretation what is reality and space, comparing them by mirrors. The style and CGI of this film is impressive, as well as the sound effects and the soundtrack.

The personality of the protagonist, who begins as a renowned, stubborn and self-centered neurosurgeon who suffers an accident that limits his ability and his great ability to perform complex operations leads him to the top of experimenting with things that are beyond his understanding, which makes him meet The Ancient One, who shows him a world beyond what he knew, thus opening his mind to a wealth of knowledge and a power that many wish to obtain. The theme of reality and time is dealt with a lot throughout the film, and Strange's dedication to mastering the power of time travel leads him to try things that can cause problems with reality. This teaches him more than one lesson that will serve him well later in life.

On the other hand, the enemy presented in this film, does not call much attention to me, except in the scenes where he demonstrates his immense power and completely alters reality, giving us a spectacular view of the world and its realities altered by an unknown power. The battle of good and evil makes its appearance in this film, once again, as in all superhero movies, only this time the way they fight goes beyond hand-to-hand combat or a demonstration of physical power. The relationships and confrontations we see throughout the film is, for me, a visual spectacle. The way they play with the laws of nature and the knowns of this world blows your mind, combining magic with science in an interesting way.

Finally, the special effects that this movie has are impressive, really. And of all the movies I have seen so far from Marvel Studios, none has impacted me as much as this film did. The different scenes where reality breaks completely, giving a broken mirror effect, showing us an endless number of alternate realities and a multiverse that goes beyond human comprehension. This is combined with CGI, sound effects and a soundtrack that are spectacular as well. While it is true that the typical story of the protagonist becoming a hero is notable in this installment, what makes it interesting is the way they mix fantasy with science fiction, showing us a world beyond the normal, with powerful characters like we have never seen before, up to that point. This makes this movie an excellent choice for any fan who hasn't seen it yet.

Personally, I give it an 8/10 rating as far as the sci-fi/fantasy/action genre is concerned.

All the best.

By: Nattosheru.