In recent years, superhero movies have become a commonly recurring theme of the film industry. Marvel especially has flooded the industry with their exciting action-focused stories and humorous characters. Despite the consistent praise these films have received, they have also been criticized for similar and repetitive formats. Although Doctor Strange does share many of the usual Marvel movie cliches, it has many defining features, resulting in a highly enjoyable and surprisingly original film.

Following a car crash, the arrogant Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) loses the use of his hands. Refusing to accept his injury, he searches across the world, looking for anyone who could help heal him. Eventually moving beyond traditional ideas of surgery, he looks into more unusual solutions. With this comes the discovery of a hidden group of seemingly magical people who have access to unimaginable power. Doctor Strange must then make the decision between fighting in their war between good and evil, or returning to his life of fame and wealth.

One of the strongest aspects of the movie is the visual effects. A massive amount of the action scenes involve mind-bending CGI that gives the fighting a whole new depth. The universe built up in Doctor Strange is full of fantastic powers that are extremely entertaining to see in use throughout the film. Additionally, the characters are all very interesting and intriguing. Dr. Strange’s journey from an arrogant doctor to a humbled sorcerer is well written despite its slightly unoriginal nature. The supporting cast also does a great job with their roles, playing memorable characters all around. Overall, the film has a terrific balance of stunning effects, entertaining characters, and humorous dialogue, rightfully earning the 7.9 on IMDb and 90% on Rotten Tomatoes it received.