Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a world famous neurosurgeon living a charmed life until a car accident costs him the use of his hands. Desperate to return to his work, he travels to Nepal to for treatment, only to find that his path to salvation lies in learning the mystical arts from the mysterious Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). From there, Strange is thrust into a world of sorcery and caught in a cosmic battle between good and evil.

As someone not very familiar with the character, the film’s version of Stephen Strange really impressed me. He’s a bit like Tony Stark in the first Iron Man ‒ incredibly witty and intelligent, but also an arrogant jerk humbled by a horrible tragedy.

When Strange ends up emotionally broken from his inability to work, I felt for him even though he’s not the nicest guy in the world. I grew even more attached to him as he learned magic and became the Sorcerer Supreme. In addition, Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, The Hobbit, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Imitation Game) was great in the role, using his knack for playing off-kilter, brooding, yet charming characters to great effect.

The supporting cast is also excellent. Questions of white-washing aside, Tilda Swinton is fantastic as Strange’s mentor, the Ancient One. Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale and Hannibal) also perform their roles (Strange’s ally Mordo and villain Kaecilius, respectively) very well and make you wish they were onscreen a lot more.

I also admired Doctor Strange for being a different beast from the rest of Marvel’s films. Where Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a political thriller, Guardians of the Galaxy a space opera, and Ant-Man a heist film, Doctor Strange was a trippy science fantasy film – think Harry Potter meets Inception. It’s not always seamless, but it was very interesting to see our characters use magic, travel to parallel worlds, and bend reality itself in a superhero movie.

However, Doctor Strange is far from perfect, with perhaps the biggest weakness being the film’s lack of focus on anyone but Strange and, to a lesser extent, the Ancient One. The antagonist, Kaelicius, suffers most of all. Mads Mikkelsen does a fine job playing him, but the character isn’t given enough development to stand out and ultimately feels more like a plot device than a fully realized villain. There’s also a low-key romance between Strange and his colleague Christine (Rachel McAdams) that could have been cut entirely with no ill effects to the movie.

While some of the humor in the film is well done, other bits felt awkward and dragged out. A shock, considering Marvel usually does very well with comedy.

While it may not be one of Marvel’s masterpieces, Doctor Strange is still an entertaining film that introduces a very interesting character and concepts. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen from this franchise before, and it pays off nicely.

Grade: B+