The Sorcerer's Apprentice

One Day You Will Be Merlin

It's one cool trailer, but the end result is anything but, given a glut of movies this year dealing with chosen ones, sons of gods, outcasts made good, and the likes. In looking for the next big franchise to rake in some decent box office receipts, the Bruckheimer-Turteltaub duo responsible for the National Treasure films, have transplanted leading man Nicolas Cage from treasure hunter to Merlin's disciple Balthazar, out to look for The Prime Merlinean, which translates to NYU physics genius Dave, played by Jay Baruchel, famously known for providing the voice to Hiccup in How To Train Your Dragon.

Expect the usual good versus evil storyline with the master-apprentice sorcerer up against mortal enemy Horvath (Alfred Molina) and his own dark apprentice Drake Stone (Toby Kebbell) as they do battle hurling energy beams at one another, preventing the evil magicians from resurrecting their mistress of darkness and Merlin's enemy Morgana (Alice Krige), who is trapped in a Russian Doll container with Balthazar's own lady love, Veronica (Monica Bellucci). In some ways the story loses focus and becomes that sappy romantic love story as Dave, with his new found powers, slowly comes out of his shell to woo longtime sweetheart Becky (Teresa Palmer). But as always he's got to put this romance on hold as he waxes on and off to train and fulfill his prophesied destiny of stopping Morgana's plan of ruling and ruining the world.

Inspired by the scene in Fantasia where Mickey Mouse conjures up some housekeeping magic, the same scene got paid homage to over here, with another easter egg firmly planted at the end of the credits roll. The Sorcerer's Apprentice offers nothing new from the usual loud summer blockbuster offering with explosions, corny one-liners, sidekick characters to crack jokes, and a wasted A-list cast. While Nicholas Cage underwent a couple of short facial and physical transformation in a montage sequence, Jay Baruchel continues being typecast in nerdy roles who just whine too much and throughout the film.

You can read my review of The Sorcerer's Apprentice at movieXclusive.com by clicking on the logo below.