‘Doctor Strange’ safeguards the Marvel Cinematic Universe from stagnation

I (and countless Marvel zombies all over the world) have been following the development of the Doctor Strange film ever since casting rumors started flying around.

Now, after two years and three other Marvel movies, the Master of the Mystic Arts has finally conjured a portal to the big screen, in a colorful, energetic film that would make even the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth flush with excitement.

Doctor Strange follows the journey of the titular character, played with enchanting charisma by the sometimes-detective, sometimes-dragon Benedict Cumberbatch, from self-absorbed star surgeon to Sorcerer Supreme successor.

Strangely enough, the film manages to simultaneously raise the stakes to interdimensional heights and feel small and self-contained, especially when compared to its predecessor, Captain America: Civil War.

What truly makes Doctor Strange a must-see film, however, is that it introduces a new, unexplored realm in the Marvel movie mythos: magic.

With out-of-this world visuals, impressively choreographed spell battles and stunning depictions of entire dimensions beyond human comprehension, Doctor Strange takes this crucial concept from comics to cinema, grounding it within its in-universe laws of physics and enabling it to work within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s established dynamics.

In fact, I wouldn’t recommend watching it in an ordinary 2D theater. Go see it in full 3D—it’s the best way to fully appreciate how well the special effects team captured the weird, wacky, and outright trippy tone of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s collaborative work.

Doctor Strange stands out as a much-needed breath of fresh air for a franchise that, after thirteen films, is hovering dangerously close to stagnation.

Then again, given Marvel Studios’ track record, having a subpar film in their line-up would be… strange, don’t you think? — BM, GMA News

Doctor Strange opens in theaters on Wednesday, October 26.