“Doctor Strange, you think you know how the world works? What if I told you that the reality you know, is one of many?” These opening words for the trailer of Doctor Strange, the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), spark excitement into the hearts of many, ready to see how this super-hero is going to be implemented. For some, the trailer was just too extreme, and pushed people away from the amazing cinematic experience.

Being a fan of the MCU, once I saw the commercial I was not excited for the film. Albeit, I have never read the comics or looked up who Doctor Strange was at the time, but I am a diehard fan for the Avengers (Captain America in particular). It was also hard for me to see Benedict Cumberbatch as a marvel hero, for he has always been Sherlock Holmes to me. The advertisement portrayed the movie as an Inception-like mindbender, breaking all the rules of physics just for fun. On top of that, I enjoy my superheros with limited capabilities, such as Iron Man, the Hulk, and Thor. These characters can’t do everything, and have to rely on one another to save the Universe.

Once I got into the theater, I tried to have an open mind and to my surprise, the movie was superb. The action, dialogue, and plot all had meaning and contributed to the MCU in various ways. “We are like the Avengers, except we protect earth from more mythical threats.” Even though the tie in throughout the movie was very small, it makes sense that they didn’t over exaggerate that they will be a part of the MCU for this was a set up movie for our new superhero, Doctor Strange.  

Another big thing that I was excited about was the science behind the movie. The rules of physics weren’t broken on accident, there was a purpose to the mayhem and they explained the intergalactic rules that make up the universe. It shocked me that the producers took the time to actually look at the rules within our universe, and not just make the audience suspend their belief.

Overall, this cinematic experience was spectacular. Also, Marvel fans figured out where another infinity stone is, a crucial plot reveal to get everyone geared up for Avengers: Infinity Wars. I learned a very important lesson from watching this film, a spin off from a very ancient one – don’t judge a movie by it’s advertisement.