An Underrated, Groundbreaking Marvel Film

Rating: 8/10 (14 March 2018)

Yes, this film already has high ratings, but what I mean when I say it's underrated is that whenever I mention this film to any dedicated comic book film fans, they always dismiss it as being a "weak" and "typical" superhero film that doesn't deviate from the formula that Marvel has gotten good at establishing and repeating. Doctor Strange is a spiritual and mystical journey of enlightenment for its viewers. It is certainly much more than just a rehash of Iron Man, and here's why.
The story tells of a brilliant neurosurgeon, Dr. Stephen Strange, whose excellence is prefaced by his harrowing arrogance. After getting into a car crash that renders his hands unusable for the precision of surgery, Strange exhausts all of his resources to improve his condition. With no hope, he turns to spirituality and healing and discovers the school of the Ancient One, where he humbles up and is introduced to the world of the mystic arts.
The film takes great care in establishing Stephen Strange as an arrogant and selfish person. Benedict Cumberbatch, known for his borderline sociopathic and arrogant roles as Sherlock Holmes in BBC's modern adaptation and his villainous roles in other franchises (Khan in Star Trek), is very good at portraying a character who is both unlikable yet sympathetic. I'd argue that Stephen Strange's portrayal in this film is far from Tony Stark's portrayal in Iron Man; the first half of the film shows how much Strange pushes the people who care for him away with little to no empathy, including former lover, Christine Palmer, played by Rachel McAdams. In fact, a significant amount of time is given to developing not only Strange as a character, but also his relationships with the people around him and how they serve as foils to his arrogance and eventual redemption. Of course, there are some characters who fall short of development, including the villainous Kaecilius, a rogue mystic and former student of the Ancient One whose primary motivations to use dark magic are powered by his pain of loss. The film attempts to add more development and background to Kaecilius as a character, but given that Kaecilius is a character that's moreso a reflection of the evil Dormammu, developing him as a character can only go so far as adding the finishing touches to a puppet. With a weak villain, this is definitely one of the weaker points of the film. Other than that, it's the first time in a while that we've seen an origin story like this in this franchise that actually felt independent from The Avengers (Ant-Man's opening made the film seem like an extension of Avengers; the last independent origins story we got that actually felt independent was probably Guardians of the Galaxy), and it's the first time in a while we've received a leading character and supporting characters with this much character development.
Doctor Strange also features visually stunning and innovative action sequences inspired by the effects used in Inception, but wholly expanding upon them. The scene that introduces Strange (and the audience) to the world of mysticism is visually groundbreaking, experimental, yet also accessible for audiences as it puts them through a roller coaster whirlwind of abstraction and surrealism. The first major action sequence featuring Strange in New York City features the action scene we dreamed of in Inception that we thought we'd never get, and the final climactic fight in Hong Kong gives a unique opportunity to watch a fight happen in full reversal while it's characters fight in real time. The resolution to the climactic fight is also original and unique; instead of the "big fight" we're waiting for, Doctor Strange manages to use his wits to avoid a destructive fight and win the battle with Dormammu with clever thinking, adding value to his character not only as a mystical master but also as one of the more clever characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I'm normally not a fan of a film relying too much on comic relief, as I feel it cheapens the quality of the film, but I found the comic relief to be used tastefully in this film to help flesh out character development and provide a balance of entertainment for the film's more serious scenes. Similar to, but not exactly like, Winter Soldier's "On your left" line, Doctor Strange is riddled with simple single-lines that help develop characters and serve to humble Doctor Strange as he goes through a spiritual awakening.
On the surface, Doctor Strange is a visual effects spectacle that tells the story of an arrogant professional turned into an extraordinary and humble superhero, but, as you dig deeper, you'll find that the story is one of the most original Marvel films with a strongly developed (and well acted) lead character and supporting cast. With a clever storyline, uniquely fleshed out characters, and stunning visual effects, Doctor Strange proves to be an excellent addition to the MCU franchise.