Doctor Strange, the latest film in the lucrative Marvel franchise, took a distinctly different approach from its predecessors. Unlike films such as the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange did not even pretend to adhere to the laws of physics. A “scientific” explanation was used as a weak pretense to explain the use of magic. A viewer was forced to consider: when the abilities exhibited in Doctor strange exist, what is the point of the Avengers? Doctor Strange was loosely tied to other marvel films with a few cleverly-placed lines, but it was still distinct from the rest of the brand.

The film in general was a visually appealing, albeit unrealistic, CGI-fest. The visuals were clearly influenced by Inception, a popular movie recognized for its novel, stunning use of CGI. As in inception, Doctor Strange made use of moving buildings and shifts in gravity to create a surreal atmosphere. However, unlike inception, Doctor Strange was purported to happen in the real world. Thus, a viewer had to suspend disbelief. Don’t expect realism, expect Inception-esque, visually stunning shots.

Despite these drawbacks, Doctor Strange managed to be entertaining. Benedict Cumberbatch delivered a performance well up to his usual standards as the title character, Dr. Stephen Strange. As with other superhero movies, the characters could easily appear two dimensional, but Cumberbatch made his characters appear complex and conflicted. The character arc throughout the film was nicely written and superbly executed. Tilda Swinton also had a good performance as The Ancient One.

Doctor Strange also had a less black-and-white view of the eternal “good vs. evil” struggle in every superhero movie. The “bad guy” was given his moment in the spotlight to explain his perspective, Dr. Strange faced a moral dilemma as the fate of the world hangs in balance, and the “good guys” had their fatal flaws. Even Dr. Strange himself could be considered the archetypal tragic hero: his hubris hurts him, even as he strives to do good.

Overall, Doctor Strange was an unrealistic but ultimately entertaining film. If you have a free evening, it is well worth a viewing.