In 1963, comic book artist Steve Ditko had an idea for a new kind of superhero, a more mystical superhero. Working alongside Stan Lee, the two fleshed out the idea to create Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #110, which is also where the idea for his name came from. Given his abilities as a sorcerer, Ditko took his character into some very strange directions, making Marvel look crazy. The character made his first live-action appearance in a made-for-TV movie in 1978 with Peter Hooten in the title role. After that, a movie version went through various stages of development hell since the mid-80s, bouncing between various studios. Hell, even Full Moon Features made their own Doctor Strange-eque movie, Doctor Mordrid, in the early 90s. Eventually, after years of going between studios, 2016 finally saw the release of Doctor Strange.
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Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brilliant neurosurgeon whose hands are horribly damaged in a car crash. Fellow surgeon and former lover Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) tries helping, but Strange pushes her away to find a solution. Having gone nearly bankrupt, Strange gets a tip to visit Kamar-Taj and consult The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). She ends up teaching him the ways of the mystic arts, showing to heal his spirit along with his body. Strange learns of the Sanctums, places that protect the planet from interdimensional threats and must be protected at all times. Soon, Strange comes across the Eye of Agamotto, an ancient object that allows the user to manipulate time. Before long, the London Sanctum is attacked by Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a sorcerer who plans to summon Dormammu. Strange ends up becoming the Sorcerer Supreme and must stop Kaecilius from summoning this ancient evil.
Much like Ant-Man, this is yet another filler MCU movie, though it’s definitely better and has more going for it. First thing to mention is Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, who not only looks the part but plays it well. His performance does feel like a repeat of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, but Cumberbatch makes it all his own. Rachel McAdams does a fine job, even if she doesn’t have much screen time, but certainly above standard love interest. Mads Mikkelsen makes for a good villain, though like many other MCU villains, there’s not much to him. Tilda Swinton is good, and much of the supporting cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor and Benedict Wong help give some weight. Tying it back into Iron Man, this film is yet another redemption story, though not done quite as effectively. However, that could just be because the story’s been done several times before.
What really helps to set this film apart are the visuals, which are very mind-bending and insanely trippy. For those of you who like to “use substances” when seeing a movie, this might do the trick. Especially during the film’s climax, there are so many weird visuals, but it’s definitely unlike anything audiences have seen before. Scott Derrickson, whose mostly known for horror, does a decent directing job, especially given the material and the trippy visuals. Without going into spoilers, I will say that the way the villain is defeated is certainly unique. There is some interesting world-building here, and there are elements introduced that play into future films. The action sequences are fun, especially given how the use of magic opens up all sorts of possibilities. Overall, while not groundbreaking or life-changing, Doctor Strange is enjoyable to watch thanks to its lead, action, and visuals.
