Oh look, yet another trailer dropped this week! I’m not complaining, especially since it’s Doctor Strange. Sure, you might be all superhero-ed out at this point. Within the last year alone, we’ve had about five superhero movies. But Doctor Strange looks like it’s going to take a different path. Check out the first teaser below.
As you can tell from that clip, this is definitely not your average superhero movie. The best comparison I’ve seen so far is a mix of Inception, The Matrix, and Batman Begins. Great! Three awesome movies mixed with the creative minds behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What could go wrong?
To be honest, the trailer itself wasn’t as mind-blowing as I expected it would be. I feel like there could’ve been so much more going on, even if it was only a teaser. I have the same feelings as when I first saw the Ant-Man trailer. I wouldn’t say I’m underwhelmed; I’d say I’m… whelmed (thanks, Robin!)
Quick recap on the character: Stephen Strange is an arrogant yet brilliant surgeon who suffers a debilitating car crash that destroys the nerves in his hands. In an effort to save his hands, he seeks out the rumored Ancient One, a supposed mystical healer in Tibet. The Ancient One instead teaches Strange the arts of mysticism, turning him into a bad-ass sorcerer entrusted with protecting Earth.
If you’re a fan of Robert Downey Jr.‘s portrayal of Tony Stark, then you’re bound to love Stephen Strange. The two share a very similar arrogant, egotistical attitude, though Strange eventually becomes humble as he transitions into the role of Sorcerer Supreme. I was hesitant about Benedict Cumberbatch as the character at first, but once I saw him in costume, I knew he had the right look. His performance in the trailer only solidifies my belief that he will nail the role of Stephen Strange.
Like I said, this trailer was average, but I think the next one will be insane. And therein lies the problem. Marvel (and pretty much any comic book property) sucks when it comes to marketing. They either give us a “bleh” trailer that barely gets us pumped, or they go all out and reveal 90% of the movie. We saw it happen with Ant-Man, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Batman v Superman. I want them to craft a trailer that is just right. Give us one more trailer, but don’t spoil too much. Show maybe a clip or two of Doctor Strange casting spells. Give us a shot of a battle between Strange and his nemesis. But please don’t reveal EVERYTHING!
The star power of Doctor Strange should be enough to draw a crowd. Aside from Cumberbatch, we’ve got Chiwetel Ejiofor playing his enemy sorcerer Baron Mordo (I have a feeling they’ll team up in the film’s climax), Rachel McAdams portraying Strange’s potential love interest (possibly Linda Carter aka Night Nurse), Mads Mikkelsen obviously playing a mysterious villain (I’m thinking Kaluu), and Tilda Swinton fulfilling the role as the Ancient One.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding the characters in the film. For instance, we have no confirmation as to who exactly McAdams and Mikkelsen are playing yet, so we can only offer our best guesses. I’m totally fine with being kept in the dark about these characters since it leaves a surprise for us when the film actually comes out.
Speaking of characters, people seem to be very upset about the casting for Baron Mordo and the Ancient One. The comic version of Baron Mordo is a white Transylvanian nobleman, and in the film, he’s being played by a black English actor. I’ve talked about how I don’t mind race-swapping as long as it doesn’t impact the character’s background or personality. Who says there can’t be black Transylvanians? We’ve got an Academy Award-winning actor in the film and people are too busy worrying about skin color?
Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One has me conflicted. The Ancient One is a mystical being who has resided in Tibet for centuries. Naturally, you’d expect an old, wise-looking Asian man, like Henry O. Instead, Marvel Studios/Disney went with a middle-aged white woman. Tilda Swinton could work as the Ancient One since she has this mysterious aura around her and actually looks like she could play an ancient mystic teacher. I would’ve preferred an Asian actor for the role, but then we run into the same problem I mentioned with Iron Fist: an Asian portraying an ancient monk could be seen as stereotypical. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Anyway, Doctor Strange looks impressive cinematography-wise. I particularly like the effects of the cities bending over themselves in an Inception-like manner, and I have a feeling this will be the most visually appealing film to hit the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As I’ve mentioned, I need another trailer to accurately assess it, but so far, it looks rather “meh”. But I’m not going to write it off since I had the same attitude towards Ant-Man when the first teaser dropped, and I ended up enjoying the movie. Marvel hasn’t let me down in a while.
Doctor Strange hits theaters on November 4th, 2016.
What did you think of the Doctor Strange trailer? Does it look like another worthy installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or could it be a dud? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter.
