On Nov. 4 Marvel Studios released its latest installment in its cinematic universe, Doctor Strange, providing an enjoyable and surprising experience. The production offered a magical blend of comedy and heart, which made the movie hard to dislike.
One of the reasons this movie succeeds as an entertaining film is the way it presented its special effects. The filmmakers show the magic in original ways that are also clear and precise. Oftentimes with these types of sci-fi genre movies, the effects overtake the plot and character development. However, Marvel did an excellent job making sure that the effects enhance this film, rather than hinder it.
The acting in this movie is strong. Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrayed the character of Doctor Strange, and serves as the driving force of this film. He plays the sarcastic, yet stoic character well. Other actors who perform well in this movie are Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Scott Adkins. Tilda Swinton, however, gives an underwhelming performance as The Ancient One. She shows zero energy in the movie with clear lack of passion and a simple boring performance.
A major reason this movie provides an enjoyable experience is because it stays fairly separate from the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. A problem with recent Marvel movies is that every movie is too connected with the others. Dr. Strange seemed separate from the rest of the Cinematic Universe, which was a breath of fresh air. Marvel let this be its own movie, instead of shoehorning a bunch of other characters into it.
In all, this movie certainly provided an enjoyable experience. From the innovative effects, to Benedict Cumberbatch’s fantastic performance, this film is hard to dislike. For these reasons, this film receives 8 out of 10.