Doctor Strange Review: 8 Ups & 5 Downs

4. The Plot Is A Bit Contrived For Convenience

There's a lot going on in Doctor Strange and inevitably there are some trade-offs on substance to fit it all in: that's sort of the fundamental issue with origin stories. They have to set up backstory and introduce characters, but there's also a requirement for drama and the MCU obviously also requires some level of future-seeding, no matter how briefly. It's a lot of balls to have in the air, particularly when the director has a very specific agenda to show off some seriously stunning effects.

Unfortunately because of the preciousness of time, the film's plot feels like it gallops a little too quickly at times. It's contrived in a way to advance swiftly, missing out key explanations or robbing important reveals of the space for impact by forcing them a little.

It's not a fatal issue by any means, but it does give credence to those who will criticise it for considering plot a secondary concern to spectacle.