"Doctor Strange"- Just a ton of fun. It may not be the best of Marvel's filmography, but it's still an undeniably great time.

Rating: 8/10 (10 November 2016)

Though fundamentally a standard superhero origin story, Marvel's latest offering is another winning entry in the ever-growing saga thanks to its awe-inspiring visuals and direction, fantastic performances and an all- encompassing sense of pure fun that simply cannot be denied. Director Scott Derrickson's "Doctor Strange" is pure magic on- screen. While it may occasionally succumb to the old clichés and tropes, this cannot stop the fact that i'ts just a great time at the movies, and another example of Marvel doing what it does best- giving us good, fun films.
Co-written with former Spill.com alum C. Robert Cargill and John Spaihts, Derrickson successfully translates one of Marvel's more colorful and "out-there" characters in a very solid and admirable way, grounding the story in the same sort-of tonal aesthetic that ties all of the other films together while simultaneously injecting new elements into the franchise. The result is one of the most wonderfully mind- bending films of the season, and I cannot recommend it enough to audiences looking for a great times at the movies.
We follow Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant surgeon but also an arrogant and deliciously egotistical jerk, who is unfortunately maimed in a terrible car accident one night. With extensive nerve- damage that robs him of his ability to work, he becomes a depressed wreck, eventually seeking out the aid of mystical Eastern healing when all other hope seems lost. He eventually comes across "The Ancient One" (Tilda Swinton), an ages-old spiritual leader, who offers to help him learn how to harness the power of mind and spirit to become a real- life sorcerer. However, soon enough, his training will be put to the test, as he must align himself with allies (including Mordo, as played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and former flame Christine, as played by Rachel McAdams) to battle a devious force known as Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), who seeks to bring about an apocalyptic evil force from the dark dimensions beyond our own.
Cumberbatch is just perfect as the good doctor, injecting a wonderful dry wit and a highly entertaining sense of sarcasm while also still being able to ground Strange in a minor sense of tragedy. In a sense, he may initially remind you of Tony Stark back in the original "Iron Man" from 2008, but Cumberbatch makes sure to make the role his own without simply delivering a retread of what's come before- this is very much the "arrogant man learns humility" story... but it's fresh and unique and Cumberbatch is a joy. Swinton and Ejiofor are fantastic as the teachers who train strange in the art of sorcery and magic, and both add a great sense of class and gravitas to the proceedings. Especially Swinton, who as always plays her role to perfection. Despite having limited screen time, McAdams is great fun as a riff on the idea of the love interest, but with a clever twist- this isn't a story about her and Strange falling in love, but a story about a former couple who slowly learn to forgive each other for their shortcomings. Mads Mikkelsen is an adequately threatening villain, and his presence adds a lot of threat to his sequences, though I cannot comment too much on his role, as, well... much like the other Marvel movies, the villain here is more of an afterthought. Still, Mikkelsen is a good adversary, under-developed though he may be.
The big thing that really sets the film apart is the beautiful visual work and the good sense of pacing and structure. Derrickson, mostly known for his lower-budget work in horror, really pushes the film to (and sometimes beyond) the limit in the best of ways. Along with his co-writers, he crafts a tale that twists boundaries of how we perceive the world and the idea of "magic." There's some incredible work done that plays with the idea of multiple dimensions and astral projection that was just incredible to witness, and the well-advertises sequences where the very fabric of the world is bent were mind-blowing. A prolonged chase sequence in the film's second act might have been the single most creative and breathtaking scene of action I've seen since last year's wonderful "Mad Max: Fury Road", and shows how digital effects can be properly utilized to show us things we've never seen before. I honestly cannot wait to see it again.
The script is also a blast and it has a great kinetic movement and build. There's never a dull moment, and it keeps the laughs and thrills coming at a mile-a-minute while also giving just enough time to deliver the appropriate beats of character and story development. Though it does start to just hit the standard beats at times, it has such a good sense of personality that made me all the more forgiving for the occasional cliché they had to throw in. There's some good, solid writing here and I hope the team stays on the inevitable sequel.
All in all, I'm exceptionally pleased by how well "Doctor Strange" turned out. It may not be Marvel's best release and it does occasionally falter with predictable twists and turns, but the good humor, fantastic performances, solid writing and stunning direction more than make up for it. And I can't wait to see more of this character in future films.
I give "Doctor Strange" a very good 8 out of 10.