Doctor Strange is the 14th entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is one of the better movies that Marvel Studios has produced. The massive success of the MCU has enabled the studio to be able to make movies about lesser-known characters a la Doctor Strange and the studio has hit it out of the park once again. Dr. Strange is directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister), whose horror background is used to perfection here because his sensibilities perfectly set the tone of the film and make it a fun, but also an intense thriller. The film absolutely flies by and while the origin story is familiar, the movie also makes differences to the formulaic style that origin stories usually follow, and these differences make the film feel fresh. Where this film truly shines is in the cast, visual effects, and the fight choreography. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, The Imitation Game) was born to play this role and is a perfect fit for the arrogant side of the character, but the also feels human in the emotional parts of the film. Tilda Swinton (Narnia) absolutely steals the show as Strange’s mentor the Ancient One and her presence are felt in every scene of the film. Chiwetel Ejiofor is also tremendous in the film as Strange’s friend Baron Mordo and he perfectly portrays the inner struggle that Mordo has with his inner demons. Rachel Mcadams (Mean Girls, Spotlight) also shines in a thankless role as Strange’s coworker, Christine. Doctor Strange is the first Marvel film in which the fighting style feels brutal and obviously takes cues from classic Bruce Lee and Jean Claude Van-Damme films. This film must be seen in 3D or IMAX because there are visual sequences in this film that are better than any film that I have ever seen in theaters. However, the film suffers in its villain, the character Kaecilius played by the extraordinary actor Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal, Casino Royale). Mikkelsen deserves no fault for his character because his performance was great but the character was not given enough character development even though his motivations were made clear. Overall, Doctor Strange is an outstanding film and a fun time at the movies.

Doctor Strange: 8.75 out of 10