Not awful... but feels by the numbers

Rating: Null/10 (11 June 2017)

I must confess that before watching this movie, I had next to no prior knowledge of the comic book character Doctor Strange. So I don't know how closely this cinematic adaptation is to the source material. But I can confidently report that much of the movie plays out in a way that has elements that I have seen in many other movies before, superhero oriented or not. For example, the characters seem very familiar for the most part, such as a central protagonist who starts off selfish and arrogant but ultimately redeems himself. The villains are stereotypically flat, with no complex attributes or deep looks into their minds. And the central story's twists and turns will not be very surprising for most viewers. Oh, there are some good things here and there. The special effects are good at times, the action a few times is eye-catching, and the movie is never downright boring. But all the same, the movie feels kind of tired and lacks serious ability to give the audience something new and fresh. It's certainly better than watching a blank wall for two hourse, but not that much more. All this may explain why the movie, while definitely a worldwide box office success, wasn't a hit at the magnitude of some other Marvel superhero movies.