A mediocre Marvel effort

Rating: 5/10 (1 January 2019)

As far as the extended Marvel universe goes, there are a handful of entries that seem like they were hastily whipped together for the sake of introducing a character so that he or she can be included in an 'Avengers.' This is the case with 'Doctor Strange,' as not even an American-sounding Benedict Cumberbatch can save the film from mediocrity.
To be fair, at least 'Strange' is unique, and not a fourth 'Iron Man' or a third 'Spider-man' reboot. Director Scott Derrickson deserves credit for steering this behemoth, as it boasts some pretty amazing visuals and pretty cool settings (Nepal, anyone?). Sure, there's some 'Inception'-like building shapeshifting going on, but it still has a nice look. But when it comes to the content of the story, it's pretty basic (a cocky doctor suffers a setback in his life that he must overcome).
As for Cumberbatch, while a great actor, he doesn't feel authentic as a Marvel superhero. The humor injected into the dialogue feels unnatural, as if he is being forced to become Tony Stark. Similarly, Rachel McAdams is usually a great actress but her role as Dr. Christine Palmer is just not a good fit. As for the rest of the cast, a bald Tilda Swinton is hands down the best part of 'Strange' as the mysterious "Ancient One," while Chiwetel Ejiofor and Benedict Wong make for good sidekicks.
While not the worst of the bunch, 'Doctor Strange' could have been much better had a few adjustments been made to the story and cast.