Doctor Strange by Frank D. Paur (2007)
2 June 2008I was not a huge fan of the Sorcerer Supreme, though being an extensive Marvel comics reader I of course read some of his books, and many of his crossovers, but lately I have been really into comic characters so something drew me to this film, and I am glad I watched it, because this is a great reboot of the character for a new audience, and though a bit adult would have made a great start for a TV series. My only complaint is it’s run time, which the package lists as 95 minutes, and is in fact only 75 minutes long. Other than that the artwork is very good, with great integration of 3D graphics into the 2D Cell Painted world. The extras are pretty much a waste, but the film itself is quite enjoyable, at least to this old Marvel Fan, it makes me want to read some old Dr. Strange books, and that is good enough for me.
A bunch of demons are louse on the world and a group of TIbetan Monks with supernatural powers are out fighting them including WOng (Paul Nakauchi) and the warlike Mordo (Kevin Michael Richardson). The have a hard fight, and put up tornadoes so humans don’t notice, but a prominent and arrogant surgeon named Doctor Stephen Strange (Bryce Johnson) drives by the battle and sees the strangers, but tries to dismiss it. He works at a hospital, but only wants to take the biggest cases that will be challenging and draw in money, having to be dragged down to the coma ward to help Dr. Gina Atwater (Susan Spano) with the rash of children in inexplicable comas. Strange begrudgingly touches one of the kids, and sees a vision of a flaming face with horns, and instead of helping anymore he stumbles out and leaves the hospital, but on the way he has visions of the face and the children in comas, and crashes his car in a horrible accident, one that will permanently leave his hands damages and ruin his life as a surgeon.
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…
Strange spends all his money on experimental surgeries, but nothing will help him recover his hands, until finally Wong shows up and tells him that there is a solution in Tibet, but he must make it himself. Strange gets help from GIna, and trudges to Tiber, finding a holy mountain, where he finds Wong, who introduces him to the Ancient One, the current Sorcerer Supreme (Michael Yama). He is to begin work the next day and is given a cell, with only hay, told that comforts are earned.
Meanwhile Mordo leads Wong and the other followers on a mission to protect the Sanctum Sanctorum, the place where all the dimensions meet, and which 2 large creatures are going towards. The Ancient One ordered them to attack each with everyone, but Mordo disobeys and attacks separately, still defeating the creatures, but causing many deaths. All he wants is to become the Sorcerer Supreme and do it by being a warrior, which isn’t possible.
Meanwhile Strange has begun to work, first by scrubbing the floors with his damaged hands, and then dismantling a wall, but when he awakens the wall has returned, and he decides to leave, but the Ancient One, helps him to realize he has to come back, because the wall is in fact the problem in his mind with the death of his younger sister April (Tara Strong) who he could not save even with all his skills. Strange returns and realizes the impossible is possible, and the wall disappears, he is finally a disciple and his hands work again, and he is next in line to be Sorcerer Supreme, though he doesn’t know it or want it.
Strange begins training in combat under Mordo, but Mordo is too intense, but we learn Strange has a power very few have to absorb another’s magic, and he absorbs Mordo’s sword, but Mordo attacks again, and only stops when Wong stops him because he realizes he is out to kill strange, so Wong takes over Strange’s training, and once he is ready, they all travel to the Sanctum Sanctorum to view the closed gate through which the demon Dormammu (Jonathan Adams) is trapped, but seems to be sending and controlling other demons by some unknown means. When Strange sees Dormammu, he realizes it is the same face he saw in the dreams, so he heads to his old hospital to see what he can do, but Mordo goes with him.
At the Hospital Strange goes into the comatose children’s minds and is able to bring them back one at a time, but as he does Mordo goes into another child, and since he cannot be Sorcer Supreme makes a deal with Dormammu to help bring him to the Earth, and Dormammu comes.
The Ancient One gives Wong the necklace of the Sorcerer Supreme, the Eye of Agamotto to give to strange, and goes to fight Dormammu, but is quickly killed. Strange returns and doesn’t want to take the eye and become the Sorcerer Supreme, but that is why he must, so he does, and first fights and defeats Mordo. Then he fights Dormammu, and all seems hopeless, but Wong reminds him that Dormammu is a creature of all magic, so Strange uses his power to absorb magic, and sucks in Dormammu into the Eye, though many of his creatures still remain.
And we end with Strange and Wong, with Wong telling his new master of some new hopeful apprentices that they will need.
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I enjoyed it quite a bit. A good story, and good animation. As I said it makes me want to read some Doctor Strange,
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