As we all know, Marvel movies are like theme parks. And Doctor Strange (2016) is no exception to Martin Scorsese’s fundamental critique: colorful, dazzling, magical—but still riddled with plenty of holes.
The good Doctor Strange is forced into a career change due to a car accident (and it can’t be stressed enough: DON’T USE YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING!). From hotshot surgeon to sorcerer. Of course, it’s not quite that simple. For one, like the majority of Marvel movies, this one’s an origin story. And two, becoming a sorcerer isn’t exactly an overnight process.
Meanwhile, the main character, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, doesn’t do much to win our sympathy. After all, who actually likes a smug, egotistical, materialistic, narcissistic, and arrogant surgeon? No one. Except, maybe, if you need that person to perform your appendectomy. In that case, you might be a bit more forgiving…
Career Crash and Redemption
If you have a body part that’s vital to your work, losing its functionality can turn your whole life upside down. No wonder Dr. Stephen Strange struggles to deal with the situation. What would you do in his shoes? Would you say, “Time heals all wounds!” and patiently go through your physical therapy sessions while casually earning a dermatology certificate on the side?
Well, Stephen Strange isn’t that kind of guy. We’ve all met doctors like him, haven’t we? Faced with disaster, instead of staying put, he flies off to Nepal—to the ends of the world.
Crash Course in Sorcery
It’s no surprise, then, that watching Dr. Strange’s progress at wizard school feels a bit… uninspiring. Learning this kind of craft (as we all know from Harry Potter) usually takes years. Unless, of course, you have a photographic memory. Then, in three weeks, you can master Aramaic, Hottentot, and other five dead languages in which ancient spells are usually scribbled down. Some people just have all the luck! Not that I’m envious—don’t get me wrong. But come on, it’s still a bit much!
Visuals Beyond the Strange
Visually, Doctor Strange is a full-on assault designed to overwhelm the unsuspecting viewer. Its geometric illusions, optical tricks, and fragmented, fractal-inspired depictions of reality push Marvel’s usual aesthetic boundaries by miles.
The movie’s M.C. Escher-inspired architecture—like the endless, looping staircases and the constantly shifting, morphing cityscapes with self-reconstructing skyscrapers—draws from Inception by Christopher Nolan and The Matrix by the Wachowski siblings, even surpassing them in some respects.
But this is hardly news to anyone familiar with the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko comics, which already showcased this kind of unconventional imagery.
So yeah, it’s all glitzy and dazzling! Did someone mention a theme park earlier? 🙂
How to Overshadow an Underwhelming Villain?
Let’s not even talk about the villain of Doctor Strange, Kruelcilius! His motivations? Let’s keep it vague: Imagine you’re on a conference call—let’s say Skype—with Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Timur the Lame. They’re all grinning at you charmingly, saying, “Hey buddy, we’ve got a killer proposal to make the world a better place.” And you’re like, “Alrighty then, boys, I’m sold!”
So, everything feels rushed, superhumanly fast, and completely UNBELIEVABLE. Which means, unfortunately, you can’t really take any of it seriously.
The only genuinely good thing in the movie? Tilda Swinton, as the mom superior of all sorcerers. Bless her bald head!
From Tibet to Celtic Cool
In the original comics, the Ancient One is a Tibetan man. In the movie, she’s an androgynous, alabaster-skinned woman. And honestly, who cares (besides a few grumblers)? Especially when Tilda Swinton delivers such a mesmerizing performance with so few tools at her disposal.
She barely speaks, hardly moves. And yet, she’s simultaneously distant, enigmatic, wise, and serene. Her character radiates transcendence, ironic intellectual superiority, and physical power all at once. In every sense, she’s the boss.
But even with her, Doctor Strange is still just your typical Marvel fare. Visually stunning and creative, but with little depth beneath all the glitz.
Rating: 6/10
Doctor Strange (2016), action, adventure, fantasy (IMDb)
Director: Scott Derrickson, Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams
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Unfortunately, mentioning Timur Timurovich reminds me of an ancient joke. It’s probably a thousand years old and doesn’t mean much to anyone under 50, but here it goes:
Little Masha is walking through the forest when she hears a whisper from a bush:
“Masha, take off your panties!”
Terrified, she runs away.
The next day, she’s walking the same path, and again, the whisper:
“Masha, take off your panties!”
She bolts like lightning.
On the third day, the same thing happens, but this time, Masha shrugs, steps out of her panties, and tosses them on the ground.
The next day, as she walks by, she notices her panties hanging on a bush with a note pinned to them:
“Dear Masha, we washed your panties. And ironed them too.
Best regards, Timur and His Squad.”