I worked with the guys at Goombastomp earlier last year to rank the MCU in it’s current state. So in the lead up to Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, I thought I’d share the post here on my blog.
I wrote the capsule for Doctor Strange, and if it was up to me… Thor: Ragnarok would have been ranked #1. But hey it’s a democracy and so here’s how it all turned out.
13. Doctor Strange (2016)
You could make an argument for why Doctor Strange does nothing new. It follows almost beat-for-beat the pre-established formula showcased by the countless Marvel films that came before it. Yet you could also make the argument that Doctor Strange is fantastic because it follows the successful and lovable structure that has helped the MCU succeed so extraordinarily.
There is so much that is familiar. Give us an eccentric and wealthy individual, brimming with confidence and lacking humility. After a life-changing event, this character is rocked to their core, unable to continue living in the manner they did before. They seek a new answer and begin training whatever ability they are destined to master. Eventually, they excel past all those around them, face a homicidal adversary, and get greenlit for a sequel. I could be talking about Iron Man, Captain America or Ant-Man, so you can see why unlike Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy, or Iron Man 3, Doctor Strange is a generic MCU origin story. That doesn’t mean it isn’t good. We’ve come to expect these films, and religiously tune in knowing full well that a sequel or team-up movie is where this character will really shine.
Perhaps Strange will get the Ragnarok or Civil War treatment, but for now, he’ll have to settle with a familiar-but-incredibly-well-polished origin story. It isn’t a fantastic piece of cinema in isolation, but if you’re invested in Marvel’s expansive cinematic universe, it’s a necessary and enjoyable inclusion.
Quiet Stories 