Dr. Strange (2016) ***½/5: Marvel's multiverse has gotten even Stranger if not more profound

(Image courtesy of comicbook.com)

Dr. Strange is another small part of marvel’s grand universe. Like the other smaller parts it cannot stand on its own and only serves to shed more light on the various stories involved in the build up to Infinity War.  At times it seems more like an advertisement of a particular character like Iron Man in 2008 but without the same impact, especially as it has been 8 years since Iron Man was released, launching the grand marvel universe project. It’s certainly not as good as Iron Man because it does not stand up well on its own. It’s more about introducing the character and on that level it succeeds. It limps along when it tries to be grand and all encompassing because it exposes the superficiality of marvel’s universe or should I say multi verse. The visuals are interesting but not groundbreaking.

The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange a famous neurosurgeon who loses the power in his famous hands after a car accident. In a desperate bid to regain the power in his hands, after he is let down by western medicine and techniques, he travels to Nepal in the far east based on a tip about their mystical healing practices. There he meets the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who exposes him to the mystic arts and teaches him about its ways. There is also a villain who wants to use dark magic for his own esoteric purposes. There are also other important issues that make Dr. Strange seem like a somewhat important character.

Positives

The primary positive was the transformation of Dr. Strange from a famous neurosurgeon to a practitioner of the mystical arts. In terms of real world value this is where the film has some credence beyond being just another part of the Marvel multiverse.  I appreciated how he had to stretch himself beyond his narrow idea of the world in order to embrace mystical teachings that lead to an even more profound knowledge of the world. One could also say that his initial scepticism about the mystical arts has been done before. We all know the situation where an intellectual is not convinced about fairytales and hocus pocus until he is thrust right into the middle of it. The message here is that no matter how good you are at a particular subject or area you still exist within very narrow boundaries. Those narrow boundaries represent the limits of your own logic or the limits of your own possibilities. Obviously, Strange had to learn a certain sense of humility when considering that he was no longer a mighty, egotistical neuro surgeon who earned some good money. After the crash I said to myself that this will certainly be a film about how the mighty have fallen. It is also a film about how the fallen get back on their feet in a spectacular, magical way. Strange also had to seek the forgiveness of those he mistreated while at the top, particularly his love interest Christine (Rachel McAdams).

The visuals are nice to look at but I wasn’t that impressed. It looks nice in 3D but I just wasn’t thrilled. It’s an exercise in grandiosity without the suitable foundations. It seems more like an artist’s impression.

There are some important links established with the wider marvel universe especially the infinity stone that is used in this film.

Great casting. Cumberbatch does fit the look of Dr. Strange in the comics.

Negatives

The primary negative is that this film is not an effective standalone film. It starts promisingly but once he becomes the mystical Dr. Strange I became a little weary. All the magic on display was more like hocus pocus than anything serious, especially, when you consider the final encounter with the dark lord. I call it hocus pocus because a lot of the elements are just cryptic and have no real bearing on your understanding of anything. I am still not so sure what makes Strange so special in terms of magic. Probably, he’s just a good student. Is there anything innate about him that makes him a special sorcerer? I thought there would have been some big revelation about Strange as a character. There is a lot of grand talk about the multi universe so, maybe, I missed it.

It’s not a bad film but it doesn’t stand up well against the other heavyweights in the marvel universe. The world has just gotten stranger. This doesn’t mean that this film brings about fundamental change at the core of the marvel universe it merely adds to its appeal. Another way to make money. I am not trying to be callous, because, for marvel to be in a position to do a movie on Dr. Strange, which is not a bad film, is testament to their success. It still doesn’t change the fact that it is not one of the heavy hitters.