Marvel's MCU franchise took a dazzling turn with 2016's Doctor Strange, a film that put the focus firmly on the magical aspects of the Marvel Universe. This would help open a lot of creative doors, especially given that the Infinity arc was well past the half-point stage.
Benedict Cumberbatch nailed the role of Steven Strange with his physical attributes and iconic costume and gave audiences a tour de force of astonishing visuals and mind-bending plot devices. It wasn't all perfect, however. There's a lot about the film that doesn't make any sense. Some might even call it...strange.
A Senseless Murder
The first act of Doctor Strange shows Kaecilius and his band of rogue sorcerers infiltrating the Kamar-Taj compound to steal a page from a mystical tome belonging to the Ancient One, which seems like a fairly straightforward smash and grab.
Odd then, that they would choose to behead the librarian in almost ritualistic fashion, as if it served a purpose. This would only prolong their time in the Kamar-Taj and leave them susceptible to detection, which flies in the face of the whole mission. Also, why not steal the entire book?
Masking Up Is No Biggie
Several scenes in the first act of the film portray Strange and other doctors and medical personnel engaged in various procedures. Depending on which scene is being shown, they're either masked up or not.
This makes little sense, as anyone fresh out of medical school knows that masks are not a choice during surgeries. They're a mandatory requirement. Sure, Strange is a cocky neurosurgeon with the bank account to match, but he's not above basic hospital procedure.
Shocking Callousness
Act one finds the titular character operating on a gunshot victim presumed to be dead. He chastises the doctor who called it before taking immediate steps to operate and remove the bullet, saving the patient's life in the process.
Afterward, Christine rebukes Strange for humiliating the doctor about his mistake, to which Strange replies "I didn't need to save his patient, either." This is an immediate and disturbing dismissal of the Hippocratic Oath.
Checking X-Rays On A Windy Road
Steven Strange ends up fulfilling his destiny after suffering a horrific car crash that leaves him beaten, bruised and left with permanent damage to his hands. However, it's his own fault for driving like a reckless, irresponsible maniac at every given opportunity.
First, Steven navigates a narrow, windy highway which would require full attention on the part of the driver. Second, he decides to flip through X-Rays at the same time, which is practically demanding retribution.
Strange Seems Surprised At His Treatment
Frustrated with his condition, Strange seeks out Jonathan Pangborn, a man who suffered a similar catastrophe and managed to become healed despite his injuries. In the first act of the film, Strange and Pangborn share a conversation where the latter mentions how belief and sheer force of will can heal physical injuries. Strange seems interested.
He's then sent to Kathmandu where he encounters the Ancient One who tells him essentially the same thing. Only this time, Strange seems completely flabbergasted by the explanation and thinks it's all a load of bunk. That's a significant turnaround from his earlier attitude.
Inexplicable Wi-Fi
While Wi-Fi hotspots are definitely set up in Kathmandu, it seems incomprehensible that an ancient order of sorcerers would have their own Wi-Fi setup inside of a temple. First, it would go against the traditionalism of the order and serve as a major distraction.
Second, it would be totally unnecessary. With the powers of universal magic at their fingertips, it seems highly unlikely anyone would bother checking the weather, booking a flight, or downloading Candy Crush.
Just Hanging Back
The Ancient One and her sorcerers don't seem to be particularly concerned with matters surrounding the safety of Earth, as evidenced by a scene where Wong references the Avengers. Instead, their job is to safeguard it from magical threats that are beyond the scope of what the Avengers are capable of handling.
This calls into question why the sorcerers didn't lift a finger to join the fight against Loki, the immensely powerful Thanos and his original invasion force, or take action when the Mind Stone created Ultron's consciousness. Since the sorcerers already possess the Time Stone, they would have realized the inherent dangers that other Infinity Stones were beginning to pose to Earth.
Needless Transport Doors
The magical transport doors that allow the sorcerers to teleport between sanctums is a cool device that also helped create one of the better action sequences in the films. However, it doesn't make any sense whatsoever from a continuity standpoint.
Strange and his sorcerers are fully capable of using Sling Rings to open portals that allow them to transport instantaneously to different points on the planet, which would completely nullify any need for sanctum transport doors.
Defibrillator Magic
After being critically injured by Kaecilius and his men, Strange transports himself to his own hospital where his old flame Christine Palmer saves his life. While that's happening, Strange's astral spirit does battle with the spirit of Lucian, played by martial arts icon Scott Adkins.
Christine revives Strange with a defibrillator, which for some reason boosts his magical strength in the astral realm, allowing him to kill Lucian outright. It's an interesting way to completely toss the laws of physics out the window without consequence.
No Time Reversal Penalties
Strange uses the Time Stone in the final act to reverse the damage caused by Kaecilius and his sorcerers, but audiences were told that such an action would yield great penalties. Trouble is, there don't seem to be any. Time reverses, giving Strange the opportunity to forge a different future.
Since the movie came out, this particular action hasn't come back to bite him, or any other member of the MCU leading up to Avengers: Endgame. It is still possible that the next Doctor Strange movie will touch on this problem, but for now it remains something of a red herring.