With astonishing special effects and CGI, “Doctor Strange” delivers an unforgettable mystical experience.

The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the arrogant neurosurgeon Stephen Strange. The film gives the unfortunate but entirely realistic origin story of the character with a devastating car accident that leaves Strange’s hands useless. It takes sheer desperation and humility to take Strange to Nepal, where his selfish interests seek physical healing.

After having his mind opened (and some pretty good tea), Strange makes a 180 and agrees to look further into the unknown. Despite amateur struggles, Strange manages to become proficient in the mystic arts with the help of the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and fellow sorcerer Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

The film effectively throws in comedic relief through both situational comedy and Strange’s witty remarks. Stan Lee’s cameo appearance during one of the action scenes will also leave audiences laughing in their seats.

Deeper connections between Strange’s character and other characters establish the “moral of the story” as selflessness. In the climactic scene between Strange and the evil being Dormammu, Strange is willing to sacrifice himself multiple times to spare Earth from Dormammu’s wrath. He is able to do so with the Eye of Agammoto, an ancient artifact that enables the most skilled of sorcerers to control time.

Post-credits scenes aren’t absent, either. Those with patience to sit through both credits sequences will be rewarded with not one, but two extra scenes, one of which might foreshadow a future film.

“Doctor Strange,” with its dazzling special effects and deeper-than-usual character development is not one to skip out on. Whether you be at the edge of your seat during the action scenes or laughing at the light comedy, this film will go down as one of the best in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.