In a secluded temple on a remote mountain range, Stephen Strange, the main character in Disney’s newest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, finally meets face to face with the sorcerer known as the Ancient One.
Strange has spent the last of his money and traveled halfway around the world in a desperate search for a cure for his damaged hands.
“You wonder what I see in your future?” The Ancient One asks Strange who had just traveled thousands of miles to consult with the sorcerer.
“Possibility,” she answers and then teleports the former neurosurgeon into a different dimension.
“Doctor Strange,” directed by Scott Derrickson, isn’t slated to be released until Nov. 4, but audiences were granted a special Imax 3D 15-minute sneak peek in select theaters nationwide on Oct. 10.
The preview introduced audiences to Strange. We’re shown his life before his accident, performing complicated surgeries with ease and interacting with his hospital co-workers. With his character’s snarkiness and firing off quips left and right, there is no doubt that Benedict Cumberbatch enjoyed his role as Strange.
After getting a glimpse into his perfect life, we’re shown the crash. It’ll be fascinating to see how this transforms Strange’s character mentally since his own recklessness caused the accident.
One highlight from the preview was a sequence in which Strange teleports through dimensions. The imagery shown during the scene was bizarre and drastically different from what Marvel films usually offer in terms of special effects.
Another eye-catching moment was when Strange flies through a city as it bends and rotates around him. Both of these sequences made innovative use of the 3-D, as the field of depth grows deeper and shallower, giving the illusion of space contorting around you.
The teaser showed plenty of promise for “Doctor Strange,” but there are still concerns. The villain Kaecilius, played by Mads Mikkelsen, could end up being the weakest part of the entire movie. He is presented as your typical villain bent on destroying the world and nothing else. Hopefully when the film is released, he is given backstory that reveals his character’s motivation for world domination.
Another weak part in the movie is the standard plot often found in superhero origin stories: the main character endures a life-changing event which alters his biology and gives him superpowers. As our hero tries to master his powers, an evil villain whose sole purpose is taking over the world, shows up before the hero tries to defeat him.
Other than those complaints, “Doctor Strange” seems like another hit from Marvel Studios and it’ll definitely live up to its name: Strange.
