5 Ways Marvel's Doctor Strange Movie Let You Down

5. Back To Formula

Everyone is making this comparison, so I’ll make it, too: Stephen Strange has the exact same arc as Tony Stark. Both are arrogant geniuses who break hearts; both are injured as the result of their own pride/recklessness; both realize they have to be less self-centered in order to save the day. They both make a lot of wisecracks as well. Sure, if you go back and read the Silver Age Marvel books, practically every character spoke with Stan Lee’s voice, (e.g., Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Daredevil are referred to as web-head, shell-head, and horn-head, respectively.) but there really is no reason for such a haughty, self-important man to be as chummy and fun as Cumberbatch’s Strange, other than it’s worked before.

Marvel likes their origin movies to generally fit the same pattern: In Act One, we are introduced to the main character and learn how they fit into their world; Act Two, we watch him gain power (or if it’s Thor, lose it) and learn how to deal with that; Act Three, there is a hasty battle that is resolved way too easily. Throw in a villain with as much motivation as Snidely Whiplash and you’ve got yourself a hit! There’s nothing wrong with a formula, as twenty years of Law & Order episodes illustrate, but if the origin movies continue in this way, it might start to get on our collective nerves. It does seem, though, that they are looking to avoid this by peppering introductions to new characters in other heroes’ movies like with Spider-Man and Black Panther. We can dive right into the action when those films come out.

Question: why was Dr. Strange, a neophyte, the best and only sorcerer available to defeat both Kaecilius and Dormammu? Answer: because that’s the way the Marvel formula works. The hero must save the day alone, even if he is a member of a team of superheroes who are good enough friends to have Shawarma together, but not good enough to lend a hand when the President of the United States has been kidnapped. At least, with a character like Iron Man, we know that his self-centered attitude, even though it’s improved over the years, is what prevents him from asking Captain America to spend the night after he threatens a terrorist group on national television. We know that Thor won’t burden the Avengers with his Asgard Problems because he feels it shouldn’t be in the hands of us mortals. This movie gives no explanation as to why it has to be Dr. Strange, other than his skill at breaking their sacred rules and Aladdin’s magic carpet having a crush on him.

Part of the reason it’s so hard to believe Dr. Strange would be the best choice is…