Doctor Strange-Review!
!Minor Spoilers!
You can't deny that Marvel makes a successful product. They found that special formula where comic fans and the general audience can both appreciate and enjoy these characters that have lived decades in comic format. Unfortunately it was this same formula that I found myself start to be less invested in these films during Marvel's Phase 2 (Iron Man 3 - Ant-man). Luckily, Doctor Strange takes a step back and takes what was successful with Marvel's first slew of films, particularly Iron Man, and incorporates that success with some new flavors that make Doctor Strange a film that is familiar, yet refreshing in all the right ways.
While watching Doctor Strange I couldn't help but compare it to the first Iron Man movie. Not because they were similar in plot and character points, even though you can make a good argument that they are, but in regard to allowing the character to grow and take their time in becoming who they're meant to be. A good portion of the beginning introduces Stephen Strange, how dedicated he is to his job, and how that effects the rest of his life whether it be social or not. Without any explicit explanations the film is able to convey who Stephen Strange is as a character and gives him a solid foundation in order to destroy it later on.
One of the reasons I found Doctor Strange to be so refreshing from the rest of the Marvel films has mostly to do with the character himself. Stephen Strange, simply put, is a dick. He's the best surgeon, has a massive ego to boot, and makes decisions purely based on how it would effect him in other people's eyes. This is not a nice man, nor one you would expect to lead a Marvel film. Now, you can argue that Tony Stark was the same way in the first Iron Man movie, however, the difference between Stephen and Tony is that Tony clearly cared about the people around him. He had a perspective shift that made him see what harm he was doing to people, but whether it was before or after he became Iron Man it was clear that Tony cared about the ones around him. In Doctor Strange it is very clear that Stephen doesn't care about the people around him. After his accident ruining his career he kept blaming everyone that they destroyed him, and he even had to face Christine about their relationship early on and states that their relationship meant nothing.
Another reason I found this film to be refreshing is that Stephen Strange never masters magic. He's actually pretty poor at it, and by the end of the film he only advances in rank because his predecessors died. The only powerful magic he could control was time through the eye of Agamotto, and at the end it's revealed that it was actually an Infinity Stone and in turn technically a cheat. Strange had to practice to get where he is, and while I think it might have been even more effective if we saw more montages of him training and learning I thought it was clearly presented in the film that magic is something he needs and yet struggles for constantly, which is why I thought it was the perfect character foil for someone so egotistical and was once good at everything in his life.
Now, the Marvel formula has definitely been more attuned in making sure the hero was fleshed out more than the villain, and that definitely continues in this movie, but unlike previous Marvel films I found that Strange was his own villain for the reasons I stated above. He's constantly holding himself back, and is his own worst enemy. He wants to do good, but his actions always seem to have ramifications that spiral past his control. Mads Mikkelsen does a wonderful job as a potential future to Strange himself. It felt like he was initially supposed to be a foil for Strange to show him how he could turn to the dark side, per say, but in the film Mikkelsen felt more like a really fun bad guy grunt who is the key to unleashing the real big bad, which in Hollywood fashion is an intangible force from space. The only refreshing and actually interesting twist that they put on the final act between Strange and the villain is actually not a battle of fists, but a battle of wits. Previous Marvel heroes do use their wits, but ultimately it usually ends with them tricking the villain and then knocking them out anyway. Here, it was purely Strange using his mind over his magic, although magic did play a big role, and because his method to defeating the villain was so smart and unique, for a Hollywood film, I think audiences would really love it. And, because the final "battle" was about wits it further reassures me that Strange really was his own worst enemy.
Overall the special effects looked spectacular, and expensive. The story took its time setting up the hero and turning him from a dick into a lovable dick was really fun to watch. Some of the comedy really hit home, and the concepts that this movie strives for is really admirable and hopefully pushes Marvel to continue pushing its boundaries, even if slowly. Stephen Strange is a refreshingly welcomed character addition to the MCU, and I can't wait to see him again very soon.
B+
