So far, this year has been sort of a disappointment for me when it comes to the quality of newly released movies. I believe that producers fear of their production becoming a blockbuster hit has grown which causes them to lose the creativity that makes films unique. However, as I found my seat at the local movie theater to watch Marvel’s newest release “Dr. Strange”, I had a feeling that this movie would be different from the bland films that have constantly been released this year.

The trouble is that Marvel’s movie hypes have slowly died down over the past year due to the overdoing of characters and dull plots, but “Dr. Strange” was different. Throughout the film, I was excited about the action and I anticipated the appearances of the famous actor, Stan Lee.

The main character in the film is Dr. Steven Strange, who is a successful neurosurgeon with a charmed-life and prospering career. However, his life changes when he gets into a car accident, causing severe nerve damage to his hands. “Dr. Strange” tells the story of how the doctor stopped at nothing to reclaim his former life. After medical healing procedures continue to fail, Strange looks for a hopeful sense of healing at a mysterious place called Kamar-Taj. While at Kamar-Taj, Strange quickly learns the magic of a mind altering way of life and discovers secrets about dark forces that seek to destroy the world. With still much to learn, Strange battles through the darkness while learning many difficult lessons and new truths.

“Dr. Strange” involves an intellectual idea of time and magic, both of which are often hard for the human mind to grasp. The scenes creep to the back of your mind as a late night philosophical debate with your conscience about mind over matter, making the film one that continues to play in your thoughts.

Additionally, “Dr. Strange” was visually outstanding. At times, it was as if the lens was filmed through a glass zodiac. The intricate designs of the magic spells were detailed and made the illusions look and feel more realistic. While “Dr. Strange” is a Marvel production, it was nice to see a different type of setting in this film. There still was still the typical big city, but the visual perception of the surroundings is what proved the uniqueness.

Lastly, I thought the acting was genuine and emotionally intriguing. Bennadict Cumberbatch, who played Dr. Strange, is a pop culture phenomenon who is known for the hit TV show, “Sherlock” and classic film, “Star Trek Into Darkness”. In 2015, Cumberbatch was awarded an Academy Award nomination for his work in “The Imitation Game”. Although it took some time to get used to Cumberbatch’s fake American accent, he has yet again successfully played a genius character. The females in this cast were also spectacular. Rachel McAdam’s character, Christine Palmer, played a minor role in the plot, however she exhibited bold qualities. Tilda Swinton acted as The Ancient One, which added another female character who displayed beauty and mystery.

The director, Scott Dickerson, was a smaller based, independent director until this project. However, since “Dr. Strange”, Dickerson has earned a respected name in the film industry.

To conclude my rave about this movie, I would like to say that “Dr. Strange” took me by surprise with its strong cast, excellent story line and visual effects. I highly recommend going to see this movie and remember to stay till the very end, so you do not miss any of Marvel’s surprises. On the Cypress Ranch Lasso Scale, I would give “Dr. Strange” a solid 4.5/5, it truly was the redemption movie for Marvel.