Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme

Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
File:DoctorStrangeDVD.jpg DVD cover art for Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
Directed by	Patrick Archibald Jay Oliva Richard Sebast
Written by	Screenplay: Greg Johnson Story: Boyd Kirkland Craig Kyle Greg Johnson
Produced by	Bob Richardson Stan Lee
Starring	Bryce Johnson
Distributed by	Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release dates	August 14, 2007
Running time	76 min.
Language	English

Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme is a direct-to-DVD & BD animated movie based on the Marvel Comics character Doctor Strange. The movie was released August 14, 2007 and had its U.S. broadcast premiere on Cartoon Network November 1, 2008. The film is rated PG-13.

This is the fourth animated film produced by Lionsgate based on Marvel Comics characters, following Ultimate Avengers, Ultimate Avengers 2 and The Invincible Iron Man.

Plot

Dr. Stephen Strange was one of the most gifted surgeons in medicine. One night, he notices Baron Mordo and his allies slay a monster. The next day, he is visited by the hospital's administrator Oliver who states that Dr. Gina Atwater has problems with him. He also speaks with Dr. Atwater when it comes to a child who is among the many that has suffered from dangerous nightmares. Stephen thinks back to when his sister April had a headache related to the ones the children have been having. As indicated in the beginning, Strange is highly arrogant and dismissive of his colleagues.

While driving home, he sees the vision of flames with a burning face in them and gets into a car crash. As a result, his hands are left shattered and useless. He sees the report of his injuries shown by Dr. Atwater. Spending his fortune and life savings in pursuit of a way to fix his fractured body on the advice of Oliver, the dejected doctor believes all is lost until his suicide attempt is thwarted by Wong who recommends the Ancient One to offer him hope and healing in Tibet.

Stephen begins his training as the Ancient One is told by Wong and Baron Mordo that they have lost some of their own. After day one, he remembers when he is April's doctor. After day two, Stephen is considering giving up and departs. He then flashbacks to when he does medical work on April which fails, resulting in her death. The Ancient One then appears in Stephen's mind. This convinces Stephen to return to his training.

The Ancient One detects two Chinous and orders Baron Mordo to kill them one at a time. However, Mordo disobeys and leads two teams to take them on.

Baron Mordo's team continues to fight the Chinous as two of his teammates establish a containment spell which fails as the Chinou is vanquished. The second one also wounded some of the team and is vanquished by Baron Mordo. Later, the Ancient One mourns the loss of his disciples and orders Baron Mordo to train Doctor Strange. Baron Mordo spars with Stephen which ends up getting intense. Baron Mordo retaliates after being deflected, but Wong intervenes. Wong tells Stephen that he will be taking over his training for Mordo.

Stephen then follows the Ancient One, Wong, Baron Mordo, and others to the Sanctum Sanctorum and ends up in its nexus. The Ancient One then tells Stephen about Dormammu. Stephen then remembers his features and is using children's dreams to enter Earth. Doctor Strange returns to the hospital and puts Gina to sleep. He searches her computer to find out how widespread this is and to attempt to wake them. He awakens patient after patient to prevent Dormammu from entering Earth. Baron Mordo enters a child's dream and makes a deal with Dormammu. Dormammu takes over the minds of the remaining children as Baron Mordo attacks Doctor Strange. Wong manages to save him.

When a swarm of Wing Marks attack, they kill off the Ancient One's followers. The Ancient One is weakened taking them out as Baron Mordo arrives to attack the Ancient One. Doctor Strange and Wong arrive and find the Ancient One dead. Wong gives Doctor Strange the Eye of Agamotto since it is Doctor Strange's destiny. Doctor Strange and Wong confront Baron Mordo. As Wong fights Baron Mordo, he is wounded in battle, but Mordo is repelled by Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange then fights Baron Mordo as Dormammu begins his emergence. Dormammu then devours Baron Mordo and steals the Eye of Agamotto as he makes his way to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Doctor Strange confronts Dormammu who begins to overwhelm Doctor Strange as he unleashes his monsters around the world. With advice from Wong, Doctor Strange absorbs the pure magic to vanquish Dormammu (Wong wasn't expecting Doctor Strange to absorb Dormammu). Wong tells Doctor Strange that they will have a lot of adventures together. He later appears in Dr. Atwater's dream, surprising her with his humbling change in attitude and reassures her that all will be well with the children

Doctor Strange visits his sister's grave and is told by Wong that they have new prospects for Strange to train. One of the first of these is one known as Clea.

Cast

Actor	Role
Bryce Johnson	Doctor Strange
Paul Nakauchi	Wong
Michael Yama	Ancient One
Kevin Michael Richardson	Baron Mordo
Jonathan Adams	Dormammu
Fred Tatasciore	Oliver
Susan Spano	Dr. Gina Atwater
Tara Strong	April Strange

Additional voices

• Josh Keaton
• Phil LaMarr
• Masasa Moyo
• Tara Strong
• Fred Tatasciore

Reception

Critical reaction to Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme has been mixed. Christopher Monfette of IGN said the film "plays out as expected" and has "[a] middle section [that] sags," but features "action sequences [that are] beautifully choreographed and emotionally resonant," and concluded that "strong animation, good acting, and resonant character work bring the icon to life."

Adam Arseneau of DVD Verdict said the film "fails to live up to its narrative potential" and criticized the "rushed ending," but praised its "sharp animation" and described the DVD as a "solid rental." Blake Matthews of Blog Critics criticized the film for "[taking] 45 minutes or so to set up Strange's story [while not putting] much time into explaining his nemesis," but concluded that "this film really was fun" and "fans of the previous Marvel films, animation based on comics, or the supernatural will enjoy this film."

Nick Lyons of DVD Talk said that "the visuals are engaging," but criticized the film for "dramatically alter[ing]" the character, saying: "Instead of characterizing Stephen Strange as a cocky, personably, confident jackass like in the comic books he has been reduced to an emo wimp with a useless tacked-on backstory about the death of his sister. The lifeless voice work by Bryce Johnson doesn't help the character, either." Lyons concluded, "Comic book fans looking for a faithful adaptation of Dr. Strange will sadly be disappointed by this animated feature. For a superior Marvel animated movie, I'd advise checking out the first Ultimate Avengers."

References to other Marvel characters

• When Stephen Strange is leaving the hospital after his accident, a woman pages Dr. Donald Blake (the human identity of the thunder god Thor) and he is seen walking with his cane through a doorway. Dr. Blake is later seen as one of the consultants Strange visits about his hands.
• When walking in China he passes Lei Mei, who was a lead character in The Invincible Iron Man movie that came out earlier in 2007.
• At one point, Strange can be seen making out a check to Abraham Cornelius.
• Towards the end of the movie, Wong mentioned that he has found a potential sorceress by the name of Clea.

See also

• List of animated feature-length films
• Marvel Animation

External links

• Official site
• Doctor Strange @ Marvel Movie Age
• Interview on Doctor Strange
• Doctor Strange at IMDb
• First Look at Dr. Strange- Animated on the Ultimate Avengers 2