Doctor Strange is a wonderful movie that chronicles the journey of a man who discovers that there is more to life than he ever thought possible. An arrogant surgeon named Stephen Strange is severely injured in a car wreck and loses the stability in his hands that made him so excellent at his craft. Desperate to save his career, he spends all of his time and money trying to find something that could undo the damage. He learns of a man who was previously unable to walk but regained that ability after spending time in a place called Kamar-Taj. After getting there and being initially turned off by the spiritual ideas he’s shown, Strange discovers that they are telling the truth. Under the guidance of the Ancient One and her other students, he learns to let go of his ego and look at the world differently than he ever had before. Through regular study and practice, he uses his newfound abilities to protect the world from those who try to harm it.
While Strange was already saving lives when he was a surgeon, his purpose in doing so was to feed his ego and make himself rich. Now, his actions are guided by a desire to help others and serve a cause greater than himself. Accordingly, he gives a sincere, heartfelt apology to his ex-girlfriend for verbally abusing her and rejects the simple option to heal his body and resume his previous life, which was the option chosen by the once-disabled man who told him about Kamar-Taj. These are profound changes that reflect a true spiritual awakening.
Some may see this movie as a simple, straightforward superhero flick, but it’s so much deeper than that. It expertly illustrates the importance of checking the ego, surrendering to the fact that there is more to life than we realize, the power of transmuting suffering into peace, and being present as often as possible; these are important both for helping us live our best possible lives and for showing us our greater purpose in this world. By weaving these lessons into a fun, action-packed movie filled with memorable, likeable characters, the creators are able to introduce them to more people than if it were a serious documentary or guidebook. This makes it one of the most important movies released within the past decade and one of my all-time favorite movies.