The newest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Doctor Strange, and it made quite the impression. It wasn’t the best movie Marvel has put out, but it was a fun ride.

Visually, it was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. The real star of this film was the special effects team for making such mind- bending sequences that looked as real as could be. It was, by far, the most impressive part of the movie.

Of course, spectacular special effects can only carry a movie so far, as it also has to possess a good narrative. The story is easy to follow and does not require a ton of knowledge about the rest of the MCU, but it can help fill in the gaps. The movie has a slight pacing issue in the center when Dr. Strange begins to excel at magic and casting. It seems that he jumped from knowing nothing to being number one a bit too quickly. Of course, this is a minor detail that takes you out of the movie only for a minute.

If there are concerns about comic accuracy , skeptical viewers will  be pleased with the film. There are really only two notable differences worth mentioning: Dormammu and The Ancient One. Dormammu, for instance, is a face in the void rather than the 10 foot tall flaming monster that Strange has fought so many times in the comics. Of course, it’s not really a bad change, as it makes the big bad seem more powerful and unwilling to bargain. The change in the Ancient One is a bit more controversial. The movie was accused of whitewashing when it was revealed that Tilda Swinton would play the character. For those that don’t know, Tilda Swinton is a white female who was cast to play a role that was originally an Asian male. The change was probably for the best, due to the fact that the original Ancient One that first debuted in the late 1960s may be considered somewhat culturally insensitive by today’s standards. Swinton also had a great performance, making the character likeable and adding a charm that many other actors may not have been able to deliver.

Overall it was an enjoyable movie. There were some very comedic sections, phenomenal displays of special effects and a pretty good story.