The Sorcerer's Apprentice is directed by Jon Turteltaub and collectively written by Matt Lopez, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (poem). It stars Nicolas Cage, Alfred Molina, Jay Baruchel, Teresa Palmer, Toby Kebbel and Monica Belluchi. Music is by Trevor Rabin and cinematography by Bojan Bazelli.
Film is based on the Sorcerer's Apprentice segment in Disney's Fantasia. The plot finds Baruchel as a science geek who discovers he has hidden talents as a magician when ancient sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Cage) appears in modern day Manhattan. Unfortunately this also means as apprentice to Balthazar, he is thrust into doing battle against Maxim Horvath (Molina), a skilled sorcerer of old who has some devilish plans he wants to enact.
The Disney/Cage/Turteltaub combination once again deliver family friendly high jinx for the target audience. It's an engaging fantasy adventure that has some thought put into the script, it zips along thanks to Turteltaub's direction and it features some high energy action backed up by excellent special effects. Molina is having a great time of it, so too is Kebbell, who looks like he has wandered in off the set of Velvet Goldmine. Cage less so it seems, his moody broody approach is a small detriment to the picture's over all fun ethic. Film also lacks an emotional core, though it does try to amend briefly with a tween romance thread, but it's no major problem as this is countered with some lovely stabs of humour and nifty film references.
Fun family film, flaws and all. Not for the highbrow though, obviously. 7/10
Film is based on the Sorcerer's Apprentice segment in Disney's Fantasia. The plot finds Baruchel as a science geek who discovers he has hidden talents as a magician when ancient sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Cage) appears in modern day Manhattan. Unfortunately this also means as apprentice to Balthazar, he is thrust into doing battle against Maxim Horvath (Molina), a skilled sorcerer of old who has some devilish plans he wants to enact.
The Disney/Cage/Turteltaub combination once again deliver family friendly high jinx for the target audience. It's an engaging fantasy adventure that has some thought put into the script, it zips along thanks to Turteltaub's direction and it features some high energy action backed up by excellent special effects. Molina is having a great time of it, so too is Kebbell, who looks like he has wandered in off the set of Velvet Goldmine. Cage less so it seems, his moody broody approach is a small detriment to the picture's over all fun ethic. Film also lacks an emotional core, though it does try to amend briefly with a tween romance thread, but it's no major problem as this is countered with some lovely stabs of humour and nifty film references.
Fun family film, flaws and all. Not for the highbrow though, obviously. 7/10