(I am not a comic otaku, I’m a manga otaku. But to appease the fans, I will try to reflect on the movie’s connection to the comic canon itself so as to demonstrate I do appreciate how it began. And there will be spoilers, since this is Direct to DVD anyway)
Doctor Strange is not a Marvel character I knew much about before I watched this film, and for good reason, since he’s very secretive and mysterious in the Marvel universe itself, only really being important with the Illuminati organization and the Defenders group, which ironically includes one of my other Marvel interests, the Hulk. This film is a good introduction to the character, even with deviations and additions to the original story that one can find. Not to mention at least one theme I will get into later that makes the film function on a deeper level than other films I’ve reviewed so far, since they haven’t confronted the issue as explicitly as this one.
The plot begins with a group of spiritual exterminators (if you will) that are chasing down a big ugly lizard. They succeed in taking it down, and in all the chaos, a man driving an expensive car almost crashes and manages to see the hunters even as they are supposed to be cloaked from the eyes of normal people. Later, the same man, Doctor Steven Strange, comes to the hospital and after prodding from the hospital administrator confronts a series of coma cases. After experiencing a strange vision after touching the forehead of the first patient, he leaves and has one of a few flashbacks about his sister who suffered from terrible migraines, no doubt a motivation for him to become a neurosurgeon. After leaving the hospital, Steven has a number of odd visions as he’s driving and spins out of control, crashing down a hill. After recovering, he is told that his hands are irreparably damaged from the crash and that he will never be a surgeon again. He desperately tries many treatments, bankrupting himself in the process. And after an attempt to kill himself, he is directed to Tibet by one of the mysterious “ghost hunters” from the beginning of the film. He gets there, nearly dying a few times and finally meets the Ancient One, who tells him he must look within himself for the cure, whatever it may be. He is given a modest room (just a bed of straw mostly) and is left to himself as the others take on “shadow hounds” in another “monster of the week” kind of mission where a few people die. Dr. Strange starts his training in earnest. The Chinese guide, Wong, inquires about the evil one Dormammu and how he is getting past his seal, but the issue is dodged from the moment. Strange continues the training, his quarters improving slightly as he smashes down a wall with a hammer, taking away the stones elsewhere and eventually having to start all over again because the wall is rebuilt. He eventually leaves in frustration, but after a final vision involving his failure to save his sister in surgery, he is confronted by the Ancient One in a vision and is motivated to continue, his room improving a bit again with a hot bath. The Ancient One sees another vision of Dormammu’s creatures and his guardian Mordo is sent to confront them, with orders to focus on one and then the next which Mordo is likely to disobey. Steven is confronted by the Ancient One again during his wall training and with a series of examples and progressively more spiritual feats, Dr. Strange progresses to the next level by beginning to “accept the unacceptable,” The two big ugly lizards with 8 eyes seen before are killed, but at the expense of 4 more students. Mordo is told he will not be the fabled Sorcerer Supreme’s successor because of his continued defiance. Instead he will train Steven for a time. He does this, but becomes frustrated as usual and Wong takes over, noting that Steven has a special power to absorb and redirect magic. Steven’s training progresses and he is able to do many things he was not before (like finally being able to shave, which was impossible before). His new appearance complete, he follows the group with the Ancient One to the Nexus of all dimensions, the Sanctum Sanctorum. We learn more about Dormammu and finds out that all the people in comas are being dominated and controlled by him, which Steven discovers through his heightened senses and the memory of the vision from before. He and Mordo are sent to recover the coma patients from the Dark Realm and after a while, it begins to work very well. But Mordo makes a deal with Dormammu and the Wing Mawg (or however it’s spelled) begins to attack the city. Many of the remaining students are killed and only the Ancient One survives the onslaught, before being slain by the new Mordo. Steven Strange takes on the Eye of Agamotto and is given the title of Sorceror Supreme in his master’s place. Wong and Mordo fight as Steven tries to stop Dormammu from being summoned. Wong is wounded and Steven easily defeats Mordo, who is then eaten by Dormammu who takes the Eye away and reconstitutes himself, releasing other evil spirits. Dr. Strange and Dormammu fight, and with Wong’s advice (subtle as it is) Strange defeats Dormammu, though it is indicated all the evil Dormammu released will have to be sealed or defeated in a future series. Steven then lets his colleague know (through a dream vision) that he is willing to give back now and with Wong they go to meet Strange’s future apprentice, Clea, leaving the film open to the future series or other films that may come.
Doctor Strange’s characterization is spot on, progressing from his selfish and otherwise skeptical persona in the beginning to his increasing acceptance of the unacceptable as the new Sorcerer Supreme. The appearance changes as well, from his initial appearance with black hair, his hair graying and his appearance disheveled as he attempts to fix his hands and his final appearance with some locks turned white and his changed outfit reminiscent of a true Sorcerer. His colleague Dr. Gina Atwater is minor, but her influence is important in the eventual change of personality Steven manifests in the conclusion. Wong and Mordo are the two most important of the various sorcery students under the Ancient One, most of them barely getting a name drop and dying in the series of battles. Wong is a traditional Chinese man, unassuming and devoted to his master, and Mordo’s equal in many respects, training Strange and serving as a constant mentor throughout the film. Mordo is ambitious and brutal, serving in the comics as Strange’s rival, though it seems unlikely that he will persist as such unless things change. His battle-addicted attitude shows through every conflict he has with people or spirit monsters through the narrative and is a great foil to the other varied characters. The Ancient One, similar to Wong in personality, is also more experienced and powerful, though his age is catching up with him and his training comes in the form of aphorisms in the vein of Buddhist masters, particularly such as in Tibetan Buddhism. The training of Strange reminds me of the Sage Milarepa’s somewhat, in that he is told to build and destroy three towers to suffer immense anguish and torment for his crimes in order to achieve nirvana in one lifetime. And Dormammu, while a bit extravagant in appearance, does fit the bill of a large demonic entity bent on conquering the world and bending it to his will. Though again the film seems to suggest he is gone forever, which ruins the possible future appearances he might have had in a series or another film.
The primary theme emphasized is the change of Strange in exposure to the many inexplicable spiritual experiences with the world of magic and sorcery, starting with the visions of the supposedly cloaked monster hunters and visions of flaming skulls and progressing to using magic himself as he accepts that there are mysterious forces in the world and yet with the proper mindset and talent, one is able to channel them. This is supplanted by the subplot involving a sister Strange technically didn’t have in the comics and his failure to save her as a surgeon, which made him desire fame and money in his later years because of his newfound distrust of trying to save people he cares for. This becomes especially important for Strange’s later acceptance of the unacceptable through his conversation with the Ancient One on how perception and experience are integral in determining how the world behaves for each individual, especially for those with magical heritage and powers. Not to mention the obvious idea that comes about with Mordo that sacrificing others for power is not exactly good for you, since you’ll get eaten by a fiery demon like a snack.
Overall, this film has a good plot, balanced protagonist and antagonists and conveys a message that resonates well with my own background in religious studies. Although admittedly the involvement of Marvel mythology only complicates this, not to mention the wasted potential of all the students tossed away like Star Trek extras. But this definitely gets a solid 5 in my book, though recommendation is probably 80-90% because of the esoteric nature of this Marvel character in particular, not nearly as accessible as Spiderman or the Hulk to just any person looking for an animated film. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.
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