Veering from the Marvel usuals of techy-genius playboys and righteous patriots, “Doctor Strange” takes its audience to a cinematic realm of magic and sorcery. Its breathtaking CGI and witty dialogue bring the movie to a whole new level, though its plot line is not as refreshing with its lack of originality.

Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a gifted neurosurgeon, his arrogance and genius rivaling that of Tony Stark in “Iron Man.” His superiority and invincibility take a huge hit, however, when he’s involved in a brutal accident that renders his surgeon hands useless. Desperate to find a cure that modern medicine failed to provide, Strange ventures to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he encounters The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), a powerful sorcerer who introduces the first of many mind-boggling scenes for Strange.

The best highlight from “Doctor Strange” is the sheer awesomeness of its visuals. Every action sequence is filled to the brim with kaleidoscopic neon colors and shifting landscapes. They’re trippy, stunning and intimidating all at once.

The characters are fun to watch but not original or relatable.

Strange seems to be a replica of Tony Stark: he starts at the top (as a rich, prestigious surgeon) and is forced to the bottom (as an ex-doctor with shaky fingers), realizing the meaning of his life along the way. However, it was hard to follow through with the initial empathy and relatability with Strange after the accident because as soon as he got to The Ancient One, he soared unrealistically into magic.

The villain Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) could’ve been made from cardboard. Aside from the cliche, overused Villain-101 desire to become immortal, there is nothing much else to him. What little backstory he has is the expected “former student of teacher (in this case, The Ancient One) gone rogue,” and his battle with Strange seems to be less of being true enemies and more of just inconveniences and “Oh well, guess I’ll have to fight you” moments.

The banter and dialogue, however, are great. The movie is full of witty remarks and dry humor, eliciting much laughter from the audience, even during the most serious of scenes.

Though the movie has its flaws, overall, its story arc moves fast, and it kept the audience engaged the entire time. It’s a blast of psychedelic action scenes and blurs of neon color sprinkled with intense trippiness and topped off with the right amount of comedic reliefs and quiet moments.

Doctor Strange is definitely a watch, not just for Marvel fans, but anybody interested in an engaging film before the California winter kicks in.