By Dru Barcelo
Every Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie has the traditional action scenes, explosions, and character conflicts. This year however, Marvel has added new elements to its universe with the release of Doctor Strange— the main character is a man whose power is based on brilliance and magic rather than brute strength.
Compared to other recent MCU movies, Doctor Strange is truly different, making the new elements featured in the new movie stand out. For instance, in comparison to Marvel’s Deadpool, which presented blunt and crude jokes, Doctor Strange is full of witty humor and little gore.
The movie centers around Dr. Stephen Strange, a successful neurosurgeon with a perfect record who is full of himself, thinking that he knows everything. The only important person in his life is co-surgeon Christine Palmer, who he has an on and off relationship with.
Strange’s life changes drastically after a car accident tears the fabric of the nerves in his hands, ruining his career as a neurosurgeon. When traditional medicine fails him, he looks to healing and hope.
What starts off as a tragedy turns into a journey for Dr. Strange when he comes across an individual who enacts a miracle, leading to him to a magical enclave that is at the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying reality.
Somewhere along the line, he finds his true self, turning his biggest weakness into his greatest strength as he is met with a new mentor, the Ancient One, and learns his new studies with ease, but struggles to learn and harness his newfound powers.
Immediately presented with danger and impending doom caused by a villain who threatens to cause the devourment of the world, Strange is forced to fully harness his powers, becoming more powerful that he had ever imagined.
Before long, the appealingly flawed but willing to change main character is forced to choose between his life of fortune and status or leaving it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.
All in all, this intriguing Marvel superhero movie introduces a captivating tale, reinvigorating the genre, and is worth a watch.
