I guess I was expecting too much from, The Sorcerers Apprentice. The words “magic”, “witchcraft” and “The Vampires Assistant” had sprung to mind and I presumed this movie would be the next Harry Potter. I was wrong. It wasn’t that the film was shockingly terrible, however it was bitterly disappointing, to put it nicely its not one of the best films that you will see this year. Although the movie would have been ten times worse if it wasn’t for the cute, geeky: Jay Baruchel and the mysterious, charismatic: Nicholas Cage.
Lets blast into the past for a minute and remember the very “unknown” magician, Merlin(probably the most overused fantasy wizard that you will hear in all your life, apart from Harry Potter, of course.) Well, to cut the long story short, it is the year 740 AD and one of Merlin's apprentices, Maxim has joined forces with the evil sorceress Morgana and betrayed Merlin (aw, poor Merlin). In a fight, Merlin is wounded by Morgana however another two of his apprentices; Balthazar(the wondrous Cage) and Veronica may be able to stop the evil pair. However, lets just say that not everything goes according to plan and Balthazar ends up imprisoning Maxim, Morgana and Veronica(she has absorbed Morgana’s soul into her own body) into a nesting doll. (yep, you read correctly; a nesting doll). On his death bed, Merlin gives Balthazar a special dragon ring that will choose the person who can kill Morgana. Confused? I am.
Now lets whiz into the year 2010. Dave(Jay Baruchel) is a twenty year old physics nerd, however he is still scarred from a bad experience that occurred when he was 10. Ten years ago, to the day, he was confronted by Balthazar in an antique store and he was chosen as the person who would be able to defeat the evil Morgana when the dragon ring wrapped around his finger. However, like this movie keeps on entailing, disaster stuck and caused Balthazar to also be held captive inside the nesting doll. Once he tells everyone about him they all believe he is a liar, even his maybe girlfriend, Becky Barnes(aw, poor Dave).
Now, back in the present, disaster is about to strike once again(there seems to be a recurring theme here),when Maxim and Balthazar escape from the jail like nesting doll. Is Dave ready to become a sorcerer? Will he be able to destroy the evil Morgana? Or, will he be killed before he even has the chance?
The story is far to predictable to be honest, and lets just say once the movie is finished you wont be wishing for more(sorry for the cheesy factor, but it really had to be done). The love storyline too is also very cheesy( much more than my one liner) and is quite unrealistic( the love storyline I mean, not the actual fantasy theme as well that’s the point of fantasy, was just clarifying). Anyway, on the other hand the cast are extremely likable and entertaining and the story is meant to just be a light felt family movie anyway, so it’s acceptable. But please don’t expect some story which will keep you tossing and turning at night, thinking about every scene you saw and every dialogue you heard,(e.g. Inception, now that is one film you HAVE to check out) the movie was not made for that purpose. If you like your fantasy films then go and watch it, but keep your expectations at an all time low, this means it might actually exceed your expectations in the end.