Doctor StrangeA man's egotism is a weight which cripples him from his full potential, paradoxically born from the perception that one is endowed with superior gifts, which leaves him helpless to achieve beyond this narrow viewpoint. That is the core message at the heart of Doctor Strange, an entry into the "Marvel Cinematic Universe", inspired by the iconic "Sorcerer Supreme" from the comic book series of the same name. Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a neurosurgeon, brilliant and arrogant in equal measure. When a terrible car accident leaves his hands crippled, he seeks every means possible to restore himself to his former glory, a path which unexpectedly leads him to the mystic arts of magic.
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Doctor Strange is a familiar archetype for the Marvel movies--a man whose ego makes him feel invincible and completely assured in himself. His is a view born from a limited perspective, one that must be broadened for him to understand his place in the world and how important his talents really are to humanity. Reminiscent of Tony Stark from Iron Man, Stephen is flippant and bossy, a character flaw compounded by his actual genius and knowledge that he is, in fact, smarter than everyone else around him. His superiority complex distances him from many of his colleagues, including his former lover and surgical assistant, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). Stephen is virtually devoid of sympathy and mercy; his interests in medical practice are solely based on the challenge and achievement in obtaining greatness. He seeks to further his own renown by taking on special medical cases which are not adopted because they are beneficial to people so much as they aggrandize his image in the world. Strange is embarrassingly rich, and flaunts his wealth with fancy cars and upscale city apartments, neither of which bring him any real satisfaction, but the compulsion is something intrinsically tied to his concept of his own life--better than the rest. So when Stephen's hands are crushed in a reckless automobile accident, the incident is beyond shattering for him on a spiritual level, equating the nerve damage to a loss of control of his life, something he has never had to cope with. He lashes out with a terrible rage at Christine and others, revealing his cold cruelty and selfishness, a hollowness left long unaddressed deep inside. Even more than Tony Stark, Stephen Strange carries an anger within, knowing that his triumphs have all been hollow victories, just things to achieve so he can add them to his collection of self-importance, internally afraid of how pointless he really is. When he is approached by a genuinely sympathetic Christine to comfort him in his misery, he coldly expels her, ashamed by his own shortcomings and not willing to acknowledge any trace of failure. When Strange arrives at Kamar-Taj to seek the tutelage of "The Ancient One" (Tilda Swinton), he shares his lack of spirituality, which emerges not just as contempt for the concept of a higher power, but furthermore a contempt for humanity--a people which only serve to make his life more rich when it is convenient for him. He describes life on Earth as a series of insignificant specks, a thought later echoed by antagonist and rival sorcerer, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), in a moment which recalls the familiar scene in "A Christmas Carol' where Ebenezer Scrooge's own disparaging words of humanity are hurled back at him. Strange's ally in his training, Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), advises Strange to "forget everything he thinks he knows"; what he means directly is his concept of reality, but on a deeper level, he means to abandon his believe that only his ego is of import in his world, and that he is a part of a greater whole, and he is made the richer for acknowledging it.
Doctor Strange exists in a rather unique place in the Marvel movies; unlike many of its predecessors--even Thor--Doctor Strange openly embraces the existence of "magic", although The Ancient One describes the existence of these spells (or "programs") as a way to connect with the forces of other dimensions that exist in a literal multiverse. The key to Strange's understanding of sorcery has to do with intellect and the willingness to accept that there is more that operates in reality than what empiricism allows. When the magic is revealed, it is varied--from hex shields and portals across space to the manifestation of the "mirror world", where reality is warped in a kaleidoscopic way, where buildings and walls split and fragment like a psychedelic hallucination. The presence of magic as a secret power in the world--operating in the shadows of the laws of physics--is not a new concept. The story of a neophyte like Strange entering into an ancient, mystic order, and leading the vanguard against an endless evil recalls the popular "Harry Potter" series of books and film, with Doctor Strange acting a bridge between that kind of fantasy and the more science fiction heavy entries into the rest of the "MCU". Doctor Strange doesn't much relish the idea of playing super hero; for much of the film, it is evident that although he is accepted into the fold of sorcerers to train in their arts--and is quite adept at it--he is still largely self-serving, looking for a way to both heal his hands, but also find something new to excel in, a new challenge to master and prove to himself he has value. The moments which frustrate him the most are those where he is forced to acknowledge that he is not superior among all others, such as when he feebly trains with his "sling ring" to conjure a portal, and even younger protegees easily perform the task he cannot. The mysticism is really just a mask for the deeper philosophical message at the heart of Doctor Strange. The Ancient One teaches Stephen more than just the means to produce spells, but the reasons why he should, emphasizing that only by allowing himself to accept that he is a part of something greater can he channel into that energy, that only by accepting he is not a solipsistic island can he gain understanding and sympathy for others and true power over the infinite, something which is conveyed eloquently in the climax of the film.
Recommended for: Fans of a fantastic and special-effects laden tale of reclamation, humility, and spiritual awakening set amid the backdrop of a superhero origin story.
Doctor Strange exists in a rather unique place in the Marvel movies; unlike many of its predecessors--even Thor--Doctor Strange openly embraces the existence of "magic", although The Ancient One describes the existence of these spells (or "programs") as a way to connect with the forces of other dimensions that exist in a literal multiverse. The key to Strange's understanding of sorcery has to do with intellect and the willingness to accept that there is more that operates in reality than what empiricism allows. When the magic is revealed, it is varied--from hex shields and portals across space to the manifestation of the "mirror world", where reality is warped in a kaleidoscopic way, where buildings and walls split and fragment like a psychedelic hallucination. The presence of magic as a secret power in the world--operating in the shadows of the laws of physics--is not a new concept. The story of a neophyte like Strange entering into an ancient, mystic order, and leading the vanguard against an endless evil recalls the popular "Harry Potter" series of books and film, with Doctor Strange acting a bridge between that kind of fantasy and the more science fiction heavy entries into the rest of the "MCU". Doctor Strange doesn't much relish the idea of playing super hero; for much of the film, it is evident that although he is accepted into the fold of sorcerers to train in their arts--and is quite adept at it--he is still largely self-serving, looking for a way to both heal his hands, but also find something new to excel in, a new challenge to master and prove to himself he has value. The moments which frustrate him the most are those where he is forced to acknowledge that he is not superior among all others, such as when he feebly trains with his "sling ring" to conjure a portal, and even younger protegees easily perform the task he cannot. The mysticism is really just a mask for the deeper philosophical message at the heart of Doctor Strange. The Ancient One teaches Stephen more than just the means to produce spells, but the reasons why he should, emphasizing that only by allowing himself to accept that he is a part of something greater can he channel into that energy, that only by accepting he is not a solipsistic island can he gain understanding and sympathy for others and true power over the infinite, something which is conveyed eloquently in the climax of the film.
Recommended for: Fans of a fantastic and special-effects laden tale of reclamation, humility, and spiritual awakening set amid the backdrop of a superhero origin story.