I know this movie has been out for a while, but after hearing good things about it I only now decided to go check it out and share my thoughts. The movies I've covered so far either had a political or historical narrative to it, so I figured it'd be nice to cover a comic book/superhero movie this time around for my next piece.

So the basic premise of the story (no spoilers) revolves around a successful, yet arrogant neurosurgeon named Dr. Stephen Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) who gets into a car crash which is so bad that the nerves in his hands become severely disabled, cutting his career short as a result.

Seeking to find a cure for his hands after Western medicine doesn't help, he ventures out to a monastery in Nepal where he learns of many things beyond his purely scientific view of the world, including sorcery and traveling through other dimensions. With this new found understanding, he can look past his disability and save potentially more lives than he ever did as a surgeon if he uses his powers wisely.

First off, I must mention Benedict Cumberbatch and his stellar performance as the title character. When I first heard him speak in this movie, the "American" accent he employed kind of threw me off a little and took a bit of getting used to. Perhaps that's because I know he's British, but something about it seemed slightly off-kilter at first.

Fortunately, I got used to it as the movie went on and I really enjoyed watching him develop the character of Doctor Strange. Stephen reminds me a little bit of Tony Stark, another character in the Marvel universe. Both are rich, egotistical men with goatees who make the occasional joke now and then, though Strange seems to play up more of the genuine asshole traits whereas Stark puts more of a happy face on his narcissism.

I can't mention this movie however without going over the visuals. There is a lot of psychedelic and mind-altering imagery in this movie that makes other films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Inception look subtle. The fighting choreography is great and the scenes look superb when matched up with the special effects that I mentioned before.

I have to say that it's really cool that Marvel is looking into its back catalog and shining a light on some of its more obscure superheros. Everyone knows about The Incredible Hulk and Spiderman for example, but before this movie came out I don't think I've ever heard of Doctor Strange. I might have seen a few comic book images of him before, but I was never totally familiar with the character as I don't read too many comics personally. If you're in the mood for some blockbuster movie fun, then definitely check this movie out!

Rating 4.25/5