THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE

With Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Toby Kebbell, Omar Benson Miller, Monica Bellucci, Alice Krige

Written by Matt Lopez, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal
Directed by Jon Turteltaub

If a successful movie franchise can come from a Disney World ride (like Pirates Of The Caribbean), why not a live action extension cultivated from a 70 year old segment making part of the classical Disney movie Fantasia? (The success of Harry Potter certainly played a role in motivating this fantasy / wizard movie's making).
Merlin the magician had several scholars, but not all were virtuous. When one turns on Merlin, his most loyal scholar Balthazar intervenes to trap the villain in a doll, but his beloved gets trapped with the sorceress. Across the centuries, more villains are trapped by Balthazar to create a layered Russian doll of baddies.

Merlin's successor is chosen when his ring decides. Centuries later in modern New York, a young boy stumbles into Blathazar's abode, and he seems to be this destined replacement. But one of the villains materialize and all hell breaks loose, leading to everyone thinking the kid's tale is a very tall one.

Years later their paths cross again, and he becomes the movie title. Many training sessions seem to be useless as humanity's survival is under threat from the evil sorcerers. Silly humour, loads of digital FX and action add up to flashy entertainment and the showdown with the main villain played by South African born actress Alice Krige (who is no stranger to these genre roles, since Ghost Story to Sleepwalkers and Silent Hill).

3 / B
- Paul Blom

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
- A - B - C

A: Multi-Viewing Potential

B: Could Enjoy A 2nd Look

C: Once Should Suffice