The Doctor Is In...

Rating: 7/10 (5 November 2016)

The MCU's 14th film is quite a marvel...see what I did there? In what is undoubtedly their most visually engrossing film to date, Doctor Strange is a most welcome entry into Marvel's well established superhero stable.
The Pros:
The visual effects, while not perfect, are definitely the movie's strongest selling point. I've seen a lot of comparisons to Inception and yes, there are a few shots and moments that are reminiscent of that particular film's mind bending effects. However, trust me when I say this movie has enough visual flair to stand on its own. It's bright, colorful and overestimulating...but not in a bad way. The acting is pretty strong all around. Cumberbatch's American accent is solid enough and everyone else plays their roles earnestly. The action set pieces are mostly interesting. While some of the fight choreography leaves a bit to be desired, their overall execution definitely departs from the usual superhero beatdowns we're offered. There's a scene near the end that flips the climax on its ear and I think it was a great use of the film's main Macguffin.
The Cons:
While I can't fault Doctor Strange too much for following a tried and true hero formula, the movie does become a bit generic as it goes on. We've seen this story a million times. Granted, the visual storytelling in between the human moments is refreshing, but it isn't compelling enough to elevate the plot. The MCU's signature humor falls a bit flat this time around. There are a few genuine laughs, but the rest seems forced. There's also a problem here that's been consistent throughout the MCU's existence...weak villains. There's a big deal made about both Mads Mikkelsen's character and the real big bad in the movie and by the end, it's child's play. Granted, Mads gets to look cool and do some awesome things, but he's essentially reduced to a henchmen when the climax rolls around and doesn't pose much of a challenge. I will give kudos to the fact the main villain gets defeated in a clever manner, but it's a bit anticlimactic.
So, what's the overall consensus? Definitely go see the movie. While it's nothing new and the effects aren't truly groundbreaking or breathtaking, it plays its cards well enough. There's enough cinematic magic to keep viewers interested and with a few tricks up its sleeve, it sprinkles in just enough flavor to separate itself from some of the pack.