Doctor Strange Review: Strange Is As Strange Does

Doctor Strange is a strange but beautiful beast, out of time and sequence in both the in world story and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Partway through Doctor Strange, our titular hero pulls out a mystical green energy shield like thing and waves it back and forth in front of an apple, moving it back and forth from eaten to uneaten and back again. His futzing with time and space is part of the larger plot, but one could almost see Cumberbatch perhaps walking in front of the Marvel Cinematic Universe release calendar, rewinding us back through time to take us back to Phase I, and 2009, and accepting this movie for release in 2010, instead of taking on the lead role of Sherlock.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not a knock on the movie, which may be the most visually stunning entry into the MCU pantheon so far. Marvel’s Phase I movies were on the whole well done. The first Iron Man, of which Doctor Strange is a very close cousin, was the foundational hit upon which the entire enterprise’s success sprung from.

The problem, of course, is that Disney (and the MCU) did not become the behemoth they are by taking risks. And Doctor Strange would have been a risk back in 2009. (Though it might have gotten away with the whitewashing casting back in 2009 much easier.) And Benedict Cumberbatch didn’t want to sign for these silly comic movies back in 2009. And so the project languished and waited until everyone got around to it.

Image via Marvel Studios

Now that’s it’s finally here, and made, five years later, some of the luster that it might have had if it were part of Phase I has gone stale. As most writers know, there are only seven basic plots to choose from, and so far, Marvel has gone to the “origin story” well so many times that they’ve started having to promise people in multiple interviews that we won’t be having too many more of them after this. Again, I don’t mean this is a bad movie. Marvel does the origin story very well. But it does make the proceedings rather paint by numbers in terms of plot. So much so, that hitting the notes seemed almost perfunctory because they knew not to waste the audience’s time and get on with the pretty.

Benedict Cumberbatch is arrogant egotistical Dr. Steven Strange, celebrity neurosurgeon. Everything about this is shorthanded. We know he’s a celebrity, because there is a quick shot of rapturous Doctor wannabes watching him work. We know he’s arrogant because his love interest rolls her eyes at him. We know he’s rich because he has a drawer full of nothing but high priced watches. And we know he’s egotistical because he drives his expensive car like an asshole. Of course, the moment he starts driving like an asshole we know it’s only a matter of time before the car crashes, speeding us through this various litany of plot points so we can get on with it.

Image via Marvel Studios

In short order, the clean shaven look disappears, the furniture out of his apartment disappears, the love interest disappears and Strange is left alone with only a bag of Whole Foods cheese (and maybe some of those lovely sushi to go rolls from the deli), with only a now-cured incurable patient he once rejected pointing him toward Nepal and destiny. We do not actually have a full on sequence that could include the always appropriate “Montage Song” from Team America: World Police, but one could easily have substituted in during the Library-Beyonce gag and perhaps driven the point home with a larger laugh.

After all, he’s not ready yet. As the Ancient One muses later, no one ever is. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Starlord might have nodded along sagely.

With Strange’s powers now developed, and pet cape by his side, it’s time for the Big Bad to make his move and the two to fight the first time. (It’s doesn’t matter what the Big Bad’s name is, his eye makeup identifies him as a Big Bad. Names not required.) This first time out, Strange on the losing end of the battle. After all, he’s not ready yet. As the Ancient One muses later, no one ever is. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Starlord might have nodded along sagely. The bad guy does his usual conversion attempt, but considering his makeup how would anyone not know him for the bad guy? Conversion fail.

Image via Marvel Studios

At this point, it’s best to stop with the plot coverage in the name of keeping spoilers underwraps, but again, we’ve seen this story before. There will be showdowns, people who Strange does not realize he cared about so much will die, and he will have to face the Great Hole In The Sky that seems to be The Monster At the End of These Movies. (In the name of keeping these movies less American centric, and to make bank in overseas markets, this Great Hole happens to open up over Hong Kong.)

I will say, the solution to solving the Great Hole is a particularly good twist, especially since the “Whole of Time and Space” affords far more creative solutions to such problems than the Avengers, or even the Guardians of the Galaxy, have on hand. Not only is the sequence clever, but it’s one of the few times in a Marvel movie I’ve felt I am seeing the artwork that makes the graphic novel/comic book such a joy to read brought to life and done justice on screen. That alone was worth the price of admission. Go see it in 3D, and real IMAX if you have it available. It’s the one time it won’t feel like a money grab.

Next: Get Ready For More Diversity In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Oh and stay for the mid and ending credits sequences. One promises Strange could return as early as next year in another upcoming Marvel installment. The other sets up the new big bad in Doctor Strange 2: The Search for More Pretty. What? It’s not like you didn’t know they would be making the sequel.