"Doctor Strange" has more spectacle than substance, but it's worth your time

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 2016)

About halfway through "Doctor Strange," I just accepted that the plot made no sense. Usually this is a cardinal sin, but for Doctor Strange, it isn't. This movie has visual spectacle greater than you've seen before, and, in this case, that alone is worth the price of admission.
This is the origin story of (somewhat) obscure Marvel hero Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Strange is a neurosurgeon who is in a car crash which gives him severe nerve damage and limited use of his hands. He seeks mystic healing in Nepal and joins up with a cult that uses magic power. A lot of hard-to-follow magic happens, and in the end Dr. Strange needs to save the world.
This movie is riddled with logical fallacy, tonal inconsistency, and forgettable characters. There is not nearly enough time spent explaining the movie's mythology, and we're left with a bunch of sorcerers who fight for an unclear reason and use spells/combat maneuvers we really don't understand. Dr. Strange himself is a discount Tony Stark; there is nothing new about his personality we haven't already seen from Marvel's own "Iron Man" movies. But, despite all its seemingly innumerable flaws, I'm giving "Doctor Strange" strong positive recommendation.
We've all seen big things blow up in movies before... but we've never seen it like this. "Doctor Strange" uses CGI in ways that are unique and mesmerizing. For example, in the final battle Strange uses a spell that rewinds time. As our heroes fight in the streets, the buildings around are not being destroyed, they are being pieced back together. Simply using words to describe this effect does not do it justice in the slightest. It is breathtaking to watch. This time manipulation is not the only incredible visual in the movie- it is far from it. There are tons of other visually interesting sequences, including multiple psychedelic scenes that borrow visuals heavily from "Inception" and "2001: A Space Odyssey"
This is not a film you should wait to see on Blu-Ray. This is a film you need to see in a theater. Go to an IMAX theater if you can. In a way, it's like James Cameron's "Avatar." If you watch Avatar on Blu-Ray today, it's not the same as you remember it in theaters. In fact, it's not a very good movie when you watch it at home on your television. Still, nothing can express the way it captivated audiences when it came out. If you want to feel that magic again, go see Doctor Strange. The visuals will leave you breathless, even if they cover up a very flawed story.