Beats the hell out of Harry Potter, anyway.

What’s It About? When an accident forces him to quit the medical practice, Dr. Stephen Strange turns to the study of sorcery, and is drawn into a secret war to defend Earth against an extra-dimensional threat.

STRAIGHT UP: Visually impressive, but underwhelming as a whole. 3/5

What I Liked

Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange – One of the better performers to grace the Marvel films, Cumberbatch slips into the role easily and lends emotional weight and impact to a few key scenes. He makes the best of what he’s given, even though Strange isn’t really a groundbreaking character.

Technicolor dreamscapes – I adore the kaleidoscopic sets, shifting perspectives, and psychedelic colors of the “mirror dimension,” where most of the film’s magical action takes place. The set pieces are reminiscent of the much-loved Inception, but still retain a unique style, and serve as proof that CGI can still be used to create something impressive in its own right.

Mads Mikkelson as Kaecilius – Kaecilius has a great “look” for a villain, and Mikkelson has the natural screen presence to back it up. Too bad, then, that the character ends up being just another disposable bad guy – the perennial weakness of almost every Marvel film.

A time-twisting finale – In its final act, this movie delivers one of the most imaginative action sequences of the year, taking place in a city being rebuilt from ruins by time magic – characters dodge cars, rubble, and particle blasts coming at them in reverse! After that, Strange uses time loops to solve a difficult problem in a very unexpected way. It’s a great one-two punch of crowd-pleasing scenes.

What I Disliked

Yet another origin story – The hallmarks of assembly-line filmmaking become easier to spot with each new origin film that Marvel produces. Like so many times before, the plot revolves around a talented white male protagonist coming to terms with his new powers and learning some humility in the process. The film is clearly divided into an “exposition half” and an “action half,” with only a single abrupt scene to mark the transition. There’s a shoehorned-in romance subplot, some forgettable allies, and a villain who can best be summarized as “like the hero, but evil.” The presentation is different, but it’s the same recipe every time, and I’m starting to get a little tired of it.

Pathetic attempts at humor – I understand that Strange isn’t supposed to be particularly good at making jokes, but even outside of the character’s own lame attempts, the humor in this movie felt off to me. The funny moments are so forced and over-the-top that they made me want to cringe rather than laugh.

The Dormammu situation – For the savvy comic book fan, it was a given that Dormammu would be in this movie – but his appearance is handled all wrong. This potential universe-ending threat is presented with little direct exposure or build-up, meaning the audience is more confused than on edge when he and the Sorcerer Supreme come face-to-face. It would be more reassuring if we could expect Dormammu to loom large over future MCU installments, but since we already know that Thanos is the destined Final Boss, this is likely just a wasted one-shot.

CLOSING THOUGHT: I didn’t have the opportunity to see Doctor Strange in 3D, but I have it on good authority that the experience is worth the price of admission. Certainly, there were more than a few scenes where I found myself longing for a pair of 3D glasses. I wish I had enjoyed the film more, so it would be easier to justify seeing it again with all the gimmicks.