Something Strange-Doctor Mordrid: The poor man’s Doctor Strange

Anton Mordrid (Jeffrey Combs) is a sorcerer from another dimension, who is sent to earth to protect the planet from his mortal enemy, Kabal (Brian Thompson), an evil alchemist who grew up with Mordrid but took the path of darkness and is determined to release the demons of hell upon the Earth.  After 150 years, the signs of Kabal begin to show and Mordrid, with the help of Samantha (Yvette Nipar), a consultant for the NYPD, must battle Kabal to save the world.  Kabal must collect certain elements to complete the spell and Mordrid attempts to foil his plans, with the final confrontation taking place at the Cosmopolitan Museum.

Sometimes the movie that gets released isn’t the movie it started out to be, which is sort of the case with the 1992 movie, Doctor Mordrid.  The low budget superhero / horror movie was directed by father son team, Albert and Charles Band.  Charles held the film rights to Doctor Strange, but the option on those rights expired before he could begin production, instead of throwing it all away, they adapted the script to use original characters.  The movie even had some early concept art done by Jack Kirby.

The movie is hindered by its budget and the technology available at the time using what would now be considered cheesy special effects like flashing lights and some “Okay” stop motion animation. Mordrid’s costume is very 90s, with a monochrome all blue high waisted suit, with a matching cape and a magical amulet (very similar to the “Eye of Agamotto”). The script is simple with little to no depth, but like many of the movies of it’s time, it has a certain charm.  There are some interesting hints to plot points that never really get explained.  Mordrid often holds a photo of he and a woman and looks with longing eyes; who is the woman and what is their history.  Jeffry Combs makes a good Mordrid, he has always had an “other worldly” aura about him, so it isn’t too far of a leap to think he came from another dimension, but I don’t think I could imagine him as Marvel’s Doctor Strange.  Unfortunately, the rest of the cast isn’t quite as good.  Samantha Hunt isn’t bad, but her dialogue, especially between her and Detective Tony Gaudio (Jay Acovone from Beauty And The Beast) is clunky and does not come across as genuine, which is unfortunate, because I like both those actors.  Brian Thompson is pretty much a one note actor who always plays the same sort of bad guy.  He has found his niche and sticks to it (good for him), but it leaves the characters he plays as one dimensional with no real depth, and Kabal is not different.  The actor does look good without a shirt though and just to make sure the movie attracts teenage boys, there is an unnecessary scene with a topless woman played by Julie Michaels.