Doctor Strange
Stream
Rent & Buy
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
What critics thought
Doctor Strange won most critics over with its genuinely hallucinogenic visual imagination — folding cityscapes, fractal dimensions, and kaleidoscopic fight choreography that many felt pushed past anything the MCU had attempted before. Where critics split was on whether those visuals were enough to disguise a rote origin-story skeleton underneath: admirers argued the cast gave the familiar beats real texture, while detractors found the characters thin, the plot derivative, and the spectacle ultimately hollow.
“Marvel's most satisfying entry since Spider-Man 2”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“In a year where bloated, empty spectacles have induced a crushing level of CG fatigue, this funny, freaky adventure reminds us of how effective VFX can be when they've got some imagination behind them.”
Alonso Duralde·TheWrap
“For all of its wondrous world-building and trippy effects, Doctor Strange isn't the evolutionary step forward for Marvel that it needs to be storytelling-wise. Underneath all of its improvements, the core narrative is something we've seen countless times.”
Angelica Jade Bastién·RogerEbert.com
“Despite [Benedict Cumberbatch's] alluring powers, he can't save an overly convoluted film that relies on a galaxy of derivative 3-D special-effect tricks... Nobody is having much fun here – save for the doctor's Cloak of Levitation that has its own devilish personality and can whisk him out of scary situations.”
Mara Reinstein·US Weekly
“Cumberbatch is wildly charismatic in the lead role... But that's the thing: He's a better party guest than he is a host. Doctor Strange is a fine introduction, but by the end, you're not sad to be headed for the door.”
Adam Graham·The Detroit News
Accolades
Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Scott DerricksonDirector
Benedict CumberbatchDr. Stephen Strange
Chiwetel EjioforMordo
Rachel McAdamsDr. Christine Palmer
Benedict WongWong
Mads MikkelsenKaecilius
Tilda SwintonThe Ancient One
Michael StuhlbargDr. Nicodemus West
Benjamin BrattJonathan Pangborn
Scott AdkinsLucian / Strong Zealot
Zara PhythianBrunette Zealot
Alaa SafiTall Zealot
Katrina DurdenBlonde Zealot
Michael GiacchinoComposer
Jon SpaihtsWriter
C. Robert CargillWriter
Ben DavisCinematographyFrom the studio
Doctor Strange
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
What critics thought
Doctor Strange won most critics over with its genuinely hallucinogenic visual imagination — folding cityscapes, fractal dimensions, and kaleidoscopic fight choreography that many felt pushed past anything the MCU had attempted before. Where critics split was on whether those visuals were enough to disguise a rote origin-story skeleton underneath: admirers argued the cast gave the familiar beats real texture, while detractors found the characters thin, the plot derivative, and the spectacle ultimately hollow.
“Marvel's most satisfying entry since Spider-Man 2”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“In a year where bloated, empty spectacles have induced a crushing level of CG fatigue, this funny, freaky adventure reminds us of how effective VFX can be when they've got some imagination behind them.”
Alonso Duralde·TheWrap
“For all of its wondrous world-building and trippy effects, Doctor Strange isn't the evolutionary step forward for Marvel that it needs to be storytelling-wise. Underneath all of its improvements, the core narrative is something we've seen countless times.”
Angelica Jade Bastién·RogerEbert.com
“Despite [Benedict Cumberbatch's] alluring powers, he can't save an overly convoluted film that relies on a galaxy of derivative 3-D special-effect tricks... Nobody is having much fun here – save for the doctor's Cloak of Levitation that has its own devilish personality and can whisk him out of scary situations.”
Mara Reinstein·US Weekly
“Cumberbatch is wildly charismatic in the lead role... But that's the thing: He's a better party guest than he is a host. Doctor Strange is a fine introduction, but by the end, you're not sad to be headed for the door.”
Adam Graham·The Detroit News
Accolades
Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Scott DerricksonDirectorBenedict CumberbatchDr. Stephen StrangeChiwetel EjioforMordoRachel McAdamsDr. Christine PalmerBenedict WongWongMads MikkelsenKaeciliusTilda SwintonThe Ancient OneMichael StuhlbargDr. Nicodemus WestBenjamin BrattJonathan PangbornScott AdkinsLucian / Strong ZealotZara PhythianBrunette ZealotAlaa SafiTall ZealotKatrina DurdenBlonde ZealotMichael GiacchinoComposerJon SpaihtsWriterC. Robert CargillWriterBen DavisCinematographyFrom the studio
Stream
Rent & Buy