Strange Indeed!

Rating: 8/10 (12 November 2016)

Doctor Strange is Marvel's 14th addition to the MCU and just like most of the other 13, it is a ton of fun! Doctor Strange is a really entertaining movie and fits in very well with the rest of the MCU. The best part of the movie is that it is very different from your average comic book movie. This takes a very different approach than the other MCU movies, similar to Guardians of the Galaxy.
Just like Robert Downey Jr. with Tony Stark/Iron Man and Hugh Jackman with Wolverine, Benedict Cumberbatch suits the character of Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange perfectly. I really can't imagine any other actor playing the character. He brought the cockiness that the character has, but also the heart that makes you get behind him as a protagonist. Tilda Swinton and Chiwetel Ejiofor are fantastic as the sorcerers who train Doctor Strange. Rachel McAdams is also really good as the "sort-of-but-not-really" love interest for the Doc. Mads Mikelson is fine as the villain but underwhelming at the same time because he is not really in the movie that much.
The action sequences are the highlight of this movie because they are literally GROUNDBREAKING. I've never seen anything like this from a superhero movie and it was engrossing to watch. The sorcery and city-bending stuff was amazing, and even better in 3-D. If you want to see this movie, please see it in 3-D.
The first and second acts of the film are very strong, showing how the neurosurgeon Doctor Strange becomes the sorcerer Doctor Strange and were generally entertaining as we watch him learn to control his powers. They are serious yet also really funny. About 95% of the humor in this movie is actually really funny. However, the third act is where most of my criticisms come from. While the first 2 acts take their time to explore Strange's character and make for a compelling narrative, the third act kind of rushes through for somewhat of an underwhelming finale. The villains in Doctor Strange are not as compelling as a guy like Zemo from Captain America: Civil War and their motivations are again brushed by very quickly. I don't want to sound overly negative but those are my biggest issues with the film.
Overall, Doctor Strange is a highly enjoyable movie with all round outstanding performances, especially from Cumberbatch, and jaw- dropping visuals and action sequences. Director Scott Derrickson and the writers deserve much credit for taking a character not well known and making him an awesome and likable hero on screen. While it is not as good as the best Marvel movies like Civil War, Winter Soldier, or even The Avengers, it is still a really fun time at the theater and worth seeing. Please go out and see this movie in 3-D!
Doctor Strange gets a B+.