Story
Doctor Strange is the story of Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a top-level neurosurgeon. When the movie begins, Stephen’s arrogance and overconfidence distance him from other people.
After a car accident causes permanent and serious nerve damage to his hands, Stephen embarks on a quest to find a cure that will allow him to work in medicine again. After hearing about a strange cult of healers who might be able to help him, Stephen goes to Nepal. At first he’s very sceptical about the healers’ mystic arts, but he’s gradually forced to re-evaluate his entire view of the world and reality itself. The leader of the group, the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), starts mentoring Stephen and he quickly advances in his mystical skills.
Stephen’s progress is interrupted by the ongoing threat posed by a previous student, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen). Kaecilius seeks eternal life and wants to summon a powerful creature from the Dark Dimension to achieve this outcome. Stephen finds himself thrown into a war he was unaware of. He must utilise his newfound skills not only as a source of physical and psychological power for himself, but also to protect humanity.
Themes
Good versus evil; the supernatural; eternal life; relationships
Violence
Doctor Strange has considerable violence. For example:
Sexual references
Doctor Strange has some mild sexual references. For example:
- Stephen asks Christine whether she is ‘sleeping with’ another colleague.
- Christine says to Stephen, ‘We weren’t friends – we were barely lovers’.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
None of concern
Nudity and sexual activity
None
Product placement
The following products are displayed or used in Doctor Strange: Jaeger LeCoultre watches; Google Translate; and musicians including Adele, Eminem and Beyonce (whose lyrics ‘If you like it then you should have put a ring on it’ are played at one point).
Coarse language
Doctor Strange has some mild coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Doctor Strange is a Marvel superhero movie about an acclaimed neurosurgeon who sets out on a journey of healing but ends up gaining much more than he’d expected.
The movie has plenty of issues to discuss with older teenagers, but it isn’t recommended for children under 15 years. It’s a dark movie that deals with the supernatural. It has violence throughout and some disturbing scenes.
Dr Strange shows Stephen’s gradually developing humility as he begins to recognise that other people have skills and knowledge greater than his own. As he opens his mind to possibilities he’d never previously acknowledged, he finds not only great personal fulfilment and a sense of purpose but also new connections with others.
This movie highlights the importance of being prepared to fail and to try new things even when you’re scared of failing. It explores beliefs about death and asks whether eternal life would be a positive or destructive thing. The movie also highlights the importance of understanding that all actions have consequences. It suggests that if people don’t stick to the ethical rules and standards that they value, there might be a price to pay.