17 Nov NERDY FOR THIRTY #15: Doctor Strange

DOCTOR STRANGE

dir. Scott Derrickson, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams, et al

BLUF: A great character introduction in a film weighed down by MCU formulaic missteps

I think that when I saw Doctor Strange in the theater, I made the decision that I was 100% done with origin stories in the MCU; perhaps in comic book movies in general. I really liked a lot of the movie, and having just watched it again in 2022, it still stands up as a solid first-film introducing a new character that later goes on to be critical to the MCU. But damn…this movie has some generic, formulaic issues that cannot be ignored. They are worse in retrospect and a direct result of the aggregate repetition that MCU employs them in almost all superhero origin movies. I’m gonna run through the worst, so I can end on a positive note:

The villain is one-dimensional; a “bad version” of the hero; and recklessly underutilizes a genuinely great actor in an underwritten, underdeveloped role. Mads Mikkelson is an amazing actor, but Kaecilius is a terrible villain. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, and Ant-Man all suffered the same problems to varying degrees. It was totally excusable in Iron Man, as it was the first. But by the time Doctor Strange rolled around, it was off-putting. I think every problem I have with this movie stems from this fundamental weakness, for example…
…while the special effects are amongst the best in the MCU (though clearly inspired by Nolan’s superior Inception), the action scenes slowly become boring. Like Ant-Man, when the hero is just fighting the meaner version of himself and wins because he remembers some common technicality, it is boring. I zoned out hard for the entire final fight with Kaecilius, because I did not care at all–there were not real stakes against a blank slate of a villain.

Lastly, and I hate to admit this, but in retrospect, the Stan Lee cameos are distracting and sad. They instantly pull the viewer out of the movie and remind everyone that he has passed. It was a fun gimmick in the Infinity Saga, but some of the cameos are just not good ideas from a narrative immersion perspective. This one is particularly poorly timed and executed. I don’t know if this is my hot take alone, but I stand by it.

All of that said, I do really enjoy Doctor Strange, because the real meat of the film is in the character arc of Dr. Strange, portrayed brilliantly by Benedict Cumberbatch. Sure, the character is REALLY similar to Tony Stark and Rocket Raccoon (but with MAGIC), but Cumberbatch is so good that he carries the movie above its weaknesses. There is an abyss between the narrative and emotional conflicts of the movie, and I think the distance between them is a glaring flaw. But the strength of Cumberbatch’s performance and the emotional journey he portrays elevates the entire film.

There are also some remarkable special effects, as the MCU dipped its toes into the supernatural/magical realm. Doctor Strange opened up a massive range of possibilities for the future, and now, having seen him multiple times in the remainder of Phase 3 and in the two best entries in Phase 4, we now have a perfect example of how to introduce intriguing ideas into a franchise that can pay off in spades during later entries. Much of the wonder and potential was rooted in the carefully thought-out special effect of the multi-dimensional world of Doctor Strange. Although the visuals were often an amped-up, CGI version of Inception’s dream worlds, the MCU was well-served by the unique and thrilling set-pieces in Doctor Strange.

Going back and re-watching Doctor Strange is an enjoyable reminder that even in a narratively weak film, you can present a character in such a compelling way that it makes a host of other movies better as well. If you can get past the flaws, there is greatness in Doctor Strange, which is a valid analogy to the character himself.

Pros:
Incredible visual effects that opened up enticing possibilities in the MCU
Compelling performance by Benedict Cumberbatch saves the entire movie
Many supporting characters are also excellent, particularly post-Phase 4 (WONG!)

Cons:
Epitome of every major origin story and generic villain weakness of the MCU
(Visually) Great action scenes are dragged down by dull fight choreography and worse villains
Maybe casting Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One was not a great idea, even though she does a great job

Rating: 3/5
A tired origin story is saved by a great performance of an engaging character

Review by Jim Washburn