The main problem with “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is casting Jay Baruchel, with his nasally, whiny voice, as the apprentice. The second problem is Matt Lopez and Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard’s script then spends too much screen time with him. Nicholas Cage doesn’t disappoint as Balthazar Blake, a centuries old wizard, but it takes all of his skill to regain the momentum that’s lost when the story shifts to Dave’s (Baruchel) awkward attempt to court the girlfriend of his dreams, Becky (Teresa Palmer). And Alfred Molina as Horvath, the evil sorcerer intent on destroying the world, is as effective as a PG rating will allow. A minor problem is the predictability of the narrative although I could argue that fantasy is always about good vs. evil, with good triumphing over evil.
Director Jon Turteltaub manages to create some interesting special effects, including the scene borrowed from Fantasia where Dave tries to get some mops to do his bidding. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is no Harry Potter, but if you like fantasy, it’s an easy way to spend an afternoon, especially if you can munch on some popcorn. 7/17/10
1 comment:
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is another silly Nicholas Cage movie that cost a lot of money and will be a box office flop. Jay Baruchel as the apprentice is so miscast that they could have grabbed someone off the street and done better. Alfred Molina as the "arch villain" is the only thing that saves this mess of a film!
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