The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) Poster

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7/10
"Sorcerer's Apprentice" weaves magic at Fantasia film fest.
Suzq2210 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
What film, filled with fantasy, magic AND physics, mild horror, adventure, humour, great action and special effects? Why it's Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice of course. Starring Nicolas Cage and hometown (Montreal/Canadian) boy Jay Baruchel.

"The Sorcercer's Apprentice" made its Canadian debut on Thursday July 8th, as the opening film feature at the commencement of the 14th edition of the Montreal Fantasia Film Festival, hosted, as it has been for the past several years by Concordia University.

In one of the venue's largest theaters, about 700 of us were treated to the screening of said film, in advance of its opening next Wednesday, July 14th.

And what a treat it was.

After the general Festival opening announcements, Jay Baruchel (who was in attendance) introduced the film to the happy hometown audience. Then we sat back and allowed the magic to unfold.

Without giving too much (or anything) away, I can safely say that The Sorcercer's Apprentice was indeed an enjoyable film.

Nic Cage made good as the "just a bit" crazy master sorcerer Balthazar Blake, on the quest to find the one who could be the next to acquire Merlin's magic and defeat the evil Morgana.

And Baruchel proved to be well cast as the nerdy, endearing, reluctant hero / apprentice.

With a nice, balanced blend of action, adventure and pretty cool special effects. The film takes the viewer on a fun ride, reminiscent of classic Disney fun family fare. And it'd also no doubt leave you laughing out loud at some unexpected moments in dialogue.

If you enjoyed The National Treasure movies, then you will certainly enjoy The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
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6/10
Fantastic adventures set in Manhattan plenty of necromancy and witchery
ma-cortes20 June 2011
Amusing film is packed with intrigue , comedy , tense and especial effects galore , dealing with a Master sorcerer named Balthazar Blake who recruits a seemingly everyday guy in his mission to defend New York City from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath . It starts in 740 A.D., in Britain, the disciple of Merlin Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina) unites forces to the wicked Morgana Le Fay (Alice Krige) and betrays his master. However, the other two disciples of Merlin Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage), a descendant from a historical line familiar whose mission was defeat nasty witch and Veronica (Monica Belluci) defeat the evil and Balthazar catches Horvath in a magic recipient and Veronica merges with Morgana and they are seized in another vessel. Along the centuries, Balthazar unsuccessfully seeks out the Prime Merlian, the only sorcerer capable to destroy Morgana, using a dragon ring and he finally finds him in the present days in Manhattan . Balthazar can't do it alone, so he enlists Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant pupil. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It'll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The young is spontaneously implicated as key on find out the weird events .However the sorcerer's apprentice is in love with Becky Barnes (Teresa Palmer) and Blake doubts whether he is actually the chosen one .They will take on lots of adventures, risks and confronting a stubborn enemy. The sorcerer and his new friend undergo a chase that take them throughout the N.Y. streets .

This entertaining movie displays suspense , noisy action, intrigue, humor and extraordinary adventures. The picture blends rip-roaring feats , thrills , mystery and witchery , along with a Walt Disney style . It's a cinematic roller coaster pretty amusing that have you on the edge of your seat. The tale is silly and laughable but the effects and action are quite well. Among the most spectacular of its visuals there are a metallic eagle , the attack of a sculpture showing a giant bull brought to life and other monsters roaring menacingly towards the camera. Some illogical parts in the argument are more than compensated for the excitement provided by the excellent visual effects by John Nelson . Stimulating action set pieces illuminate the full-blown adventures of ours protagonists with breathtaking final attraction in the scenes of the ultimate confrontation among wizards . Stirring and lively musical score by Trevor Rabin . Cameraman Bojan Bazelli makes a glamorous cinematography though mostly night. The flick is lavishly produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and professionally directed by John Turteltaub (the kid , Phenomenon, While you were sleeping) .Both of them have collaborated in two hits as ¨National treasure¨ and ¨National treasure : Book of secrets¨ . The picture will appeal to Nicolas Cage fans and Jerry Brukheimer movies enthusiasts.
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7/10
Light and entertaining fun for the whole family
phd_travel6 August 2010
Overall, this is entertaining and well done. The effects are not revolutionary but at least fit in to the story rather than detract from it. No violence or mayhem - its OK for a younger to general audience. Main fault is the hero Dave played by Jay Baruchel isn't up to the part.

The script is pleasant if predictable - does the nerd hero rise to the task and vanquish the evil forces. There could have been more historical witches besides Abigail Williams of Salem. There are some humorous bits but not too many.

Acting is better than expected. Nicholas Cage is quite good more serious and less horsey than usual. Monica looks a little older and has too little screen time. Alfred Molina is convincing without being annoying. Alice Krige (Morgana) is good and looks young. Teresa Palmer (Becky) the girlfriend acts and looks like a blonde Kristen Stewart.

The main problem is Jay Baruchel (Dave) is a too geeky to the point of spastic sometimes. It is painful to watch him. He lacks charm and charisma nerdy or otherwise. He is not a cute geek. He speaks like he has a speech impediment. Would have been better with someone more like Shia Labeouf, Justin Long or Michael Angarano if they wanted one of the new nerd/geek heroes.
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6/10
Baruchel ruined it
alen-k6 December 2010
This Disney movie is fun and the effects are first grade.

Nicolas Cage is good as expected. Same goes to Alfred Molina and it's always nice to see Monica Bellucci.

BUT, there is one BIG problem and that is Jay Baruchel. Why, o why, they had to put him into this movie? He ruined it completely with his annoying appearance, voice and, above all, irritating not-at-all-talented acting. They should have find different actor for this role. I don't have someone in mind but this one is very wrong. Without him it would be a much better movie.

But, it's still entertaining, in spite of occasional not funny jokes which are forced into scenario. The story is bearable and neat effects pulls it out of average, slightly.
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A decent fantasy-action flick
Zukriuchen26 July 2012
While it's certainly not a masterpiece, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" manages to be an enjoyable movie. A consistent movie with some great performances and awesome special effects, it's problems lay in other things.

First of all, I'd like to say that I don't think Jay Baruchel is the worst actor ever. He isn't great, sure, and they could have picked another actor, but it definitely doesn't take the enjoyment away from the movie. My main problems with this movie are about it's atmosphere and general feel. What bothers me the most is that it doesn't seem to take itself seriously. Scenes that are supposed to be super serious have the characters laughing as if nothing was at stake, and some parts could have had some more work put on. This takes away the "character" feel, and gives the "actor" feel. Don't get me wrong, a character can laugh during an action scene, but it depends solely on how it's done, and in this movie, it's certainly not done well.

I'd recommend this movie if you like a family-friendly fantasy film, and I'd say that if you have the chance to watch it, go for it, but really, don't expect too much.
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6/10
Another entertaining movie from Disney
bestbrutha-114 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Nic Cage is back and better then ever. Thanks to Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub. Movies like this don't require perfect acting. It only require great scenes that grab your attention. This movie does it and does it well. The storyline is unique..a young kid a nobody growing up to possess magical powers. The cast has great chemistry and character development. Not to mention the special effects are gold especially the last scene of infinite ryu like fireballs (street fighter). From beginning to end i was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next. If you have some free time. I would definitely check out this movie.
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7/10
i really enjoyed it
disdressed1225 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
i really enjoyed this movie.it was well paced,with good acting,and the dialogue was actually not bad.it had lots of action excitement.the special effect were good as was the CGI.i also liked the storyline,although feel it could have been fleshed out a bit more,as could a few of the characters.in general,though,it was a fun movie to watch.i'm surprised it didn't do better at the box office.it's rated a little low on this site in my opinion.there's a nod to the classic Disney animated film Fantasia.well more than a nod.it's a whole sequence actually,which is kind of cool.when you add it all up,you get a pretty good film.for me,The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a 7/10
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1/10
Why was Baruchel cast??
IliasManos9 November 2019
A generally pleasant movie to watch, with a solid cast and even amazing narrator (McShane), and all this was blown by Baruchel's performance.

I can't comprehend why was this man cast.
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7/10
Very entertaining movie.
thrashingmad14 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I took my wife and my 2 kids to see The Sorcerer's Apprentice today. We saw the first showing so there wasn't a huge crowd at the doors. It is a good thing too because the heat was about 104 here in Southern California. I didn't go to the movie expecting very much after I saw the trailers but both my wife and kids had expressed an interest in seeing it. Disney basically took 2 very well known stories and kind of melded them together to make one cohesive plot. The movie had killer effects and some good acting with very big stars. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the movie and how they left the chance for a sequel, which I would most likely see. All and all I walked out of the theater with my smiling family and not regretting the money we had spent to see it.

Thanx for reading, Robert
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5/10
Potentially good film spoiled by inept comedy and lead actor
svw4 January 2013
This fantasy film has a lot going for it: an engaging story, lavish Disney production, the exciting location of New York City, and a talented cast including Nic Cage, Alfred Molina, Jake Cherry and many strong support actors. Unfortunately all this was wasted by casting the dismally tedious Jay Baruchel in the lead role, and demanding that he act in a knockabout comedy style which is jarring and out of place. Cage and Baruchel share many scenes, but they appear to be acting in two different films. Without the incredibly annoying Baruchel and the poor script he was given, this could have been a great (non-comedy) film.
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8/10
Easy charming fun - perfect summer fare
archravenstorm16 July 2010
The same people who to me are surprisingly rudely negative about this film would probably say I'm too easily pleased, but I enjoy movies as escapism for the most part and see no need to pick this very enjoyable vehicle to death. Actually, some early negatives I'd read had me worried that I would be irritated I spent the money, instead I've already decided to buy this when it comes out.

Overall, I'd say if you like romping easy movies like The Mummy, National Treasure, and Lake Placid you'll like this, plus refreshingly (without being sickeningly sweet) there is not one swear word or sexed-up scene, so take the older kids and Grandma. I thought Nicolas Cage was excellent, he looked great and can wear a leather duster better than most, and there was some nice chemistry between Cage and Baruchel. Alred Molina looked like he was having fun and is such an enjoyable villain. Baruchel does a good job - he is so geeky at times it is a tad painful - and I found myself rooting for him. The 2 main female characters are lovely and appealing personalities.

More pluses: A lively pace and I never lost interest plus a fair number of laughs. Some interesting character twists with the oily young rock-star magician helping Molina, and some very funny cheeky nods to the original animated Fanatasia - watch for the nod to Star Wars. Great and interesting special effects that made sense when they were used. Even the way the actors moved when they were doing magic was very good (for some reason the wand-waving in Harry Potter sometimes reminds me of people using a flyswatter or shaking a bug off a stick, that didn't happen in this film).

So no, this isn't some classic of cinema, it is what it is and is a bit thin here and there, but it's also quite good for a "magical romp" and is in no way a bad film or a waste of money. I could have done without the occasional background songs which seemed designed to emphasize romantic angst or appeal to young teenagers, but that was bearable. I saw this at an early evening show and there were not many people in the theater, but we all laughed and there was applause at the end, and we left the theater smiling. Personally I think the critics panning this are full of BS or are trying to prove what intellectuals they are. In the meantime see this with your family or take your friends, and then go out and get some ice cream and sit outside and enjoy summer. Hope they make a sequel, too.
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7/10
The Sorcerer's Apprentice: BeatDown Reviews
jwchoo124 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Okay , I will say that this movie pretty good and the CGI in this film is nothing but impressive.

This movie is about a sorcerer named Blathzar Blake(Nicholas Cage) who is one of the apprentice of the great Merlin who is betrayed by his best friend Horvath(Alfred Molina) and he has to find the next Prime Merlinia(which is a longer term for the next Merlin) to defeat Morgana LeFay, enemy of Merlin who kills Merlin at the start of the movie.That was along sentence wasn't it. Anyway, Blathazar Blake manages to trap Morgana in a nesting doll known as the Grimhold. But not before losing his love interest Veronica(Monica Belucci) as she sacrificed herself to save Blake and give him a chance to trap Morgana at the same time trapping Veronica as well sealing the doll forever.

Okay that's enough spoilers. Now for the review! First of all, I thought this film was pretty good. The story is god the cast is good and the CGI is .... you guessed it, good! Nicholas cage delivers a SPELLBINDING performance if I do say so myself. I mean his depiction of a thousand year old wizard is spectacular. His Witty and casual remarks are the main laughters in this film. Jay also does decent performance as he slowly rises to stardom.

Although Monica's character was not that interesting at all. I believe it was there to act as a love interest only.

Now the only few criticisms I have for this film is that the line are a bit clichéd and expected. Trust me, you'll know what I am talking about once you've seen the film. This film had so much potential if they only had a better script.

So I am going to give this film a 7 as it displays a good story and great casting but it is the script that pulls it down
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1/10
Worst Actor Ever
krichardgf14 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Here's the spoiler. Jay Baruchel is the worst actor in the history of films. Every word is punctuated by jerky, spasmatic over-exaggerated movements, facial tics, cartoonish expressions, and basically just the worst acting ever caught on screen. In a 150 million dollar summer blockbuster. Just watch, and pay special attention to Jay. You can watch an "actor" literally ruin a movie right before your eyes.

Nicolas Cage is his usual awful acting self, but next to Baruchel he looks like the world's greatest thespian. This could have been a half decent, special effects driven popcorn movie, but Jay makes it just horrible and unwatchable.
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A decent surprise.
Theothervip6 April 2011
Rating: **1/2 out of 4.

I had little to no expectations for Disney's latest animated-to-live- action translation THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE. It looked like serviceable popcorn entertainment; lots of jarring CGI effects and slapstick humor. Turns out it's true that minimal expectations help in seeing a movie in its own terms and, as family-film trifle, APPRENTICE delivers, if not much else.

Exposition abounds when we are introduced to the plot, which opens in 700 A.D., where great Wizard Merlin is killed by his evil adversary Morgana (Alice Krige, in it for only a few minutes), and passes his legacy to one of his young apprentices, Balthazar (holy smoke! It's Nicholas Cage!). Before his death, Merlin hands him a tiny dragon statuette which turns into a ring which would determine the great wizard's heir. Oh yeah, Balthazar also traps the souls of other wizards, including the evil Morgana and sweetheart Monica Bellucci (barely in it for other than being, well, Monica Bellucci) inside a nesting doll called the Grimhold. Forward a thousand centuries later and Balthazar, still in search of the bearer of Merlin's gifts, finally comes upon a boy named Dave Stutler (who is what else? A total nerd!). Forward a few years more and Dave, now a geeky teenager (Jay Baruchel), is now ready to be trained with the Magical Arts (which, the movie explains, is actually more connected to modern science than we thought) and save the world.

Whew! That's a lot of plot exposition for a movie based around a segment in Disney's Fantasia (with Mickey Mouse no less!). And it moves so quickly from one situation to the other. But better to throw in dozens of special effects and action sequence. The special effects are nothing new; the CGI reeks of CGI circa 1990. But this comes off a charm. With so many movies around throwing out fantasy for realism (meaning lots of shaky "you are there" camera work), THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE is a pretty close throwback to some of those 80's effects-heavy fantasy movies usually associated with Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic effects house (the film reminds most of the effects-laden YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES when I saw the trailer). It's not so much as true movie magic than simply throwing in as much effects as they can to substitute for a lackluster action-oriented story.

The actors aren't in such bad shape. Cage, who's been on the slums lately, is pretty good here though it's a bit of a stretch to call it an improvement over some of his previous roles. But he does have more fun here and I had more fun with him here; it's in this role did I get the feeling that he knows very well that he looks ridiculous and goes to hell with it. Same goes for Alfred Molina, turning in deliciously campy baddie with an accent Horvath. These two guys do better than the rest of the younger members. Baruchel is trying too hard to be your total loser- turned-hero character when he really shouldn't. He seemed fine doing voice-over in HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, but he can't bring the role from animated world to reality. Teresa Palmer is your typical girl-of-your- dreams leading dame. Some actors (Bellucci, Krige) barely makes what passes as appearances.

THE SORCEROR'S APPRENTICE is fun, and at a time where movies like these fail to deliver such simple mercies, it's a pleasant little surprise.
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7/10
The plot is really nothing new, but the movie itself is fun enough on its own.
Ryan_MYeah26 July 2010
This weekend, I got to see The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the latest Disney released film from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. The plot of the movie is pretty much textbook Bruckheimer, like his film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time which was released earlier in the year. While it's not quite as good as Prince of Persia, The Sorcerer's Apprentice is still not bad.

The premise is simple enough. Dave Stutler (Played in his youth by Jake Cherry), is a kid who one day wandered into a bizarre shop, run by an out of the ordinary man named Balthazar Blake (Played by Nicolas Cage), a sorcerer. Blake offered him a mysterious ring shaped like a dragon, and after a bit of unfortunate mishaps, Dave set free Blake's arch-nemesis Maxim Horvath (Played by Alfred Molina). Cut to ten years later where Dave (Now played by Jay Baruchel) is in college, and has become quite the physics nerds, and fallen in love with an old classmate (Played by Teresa Palmer). But now, Balthazar is back, and tells Dave that the ring means he is the Prime-Merlinian, a powerful wizard who will become the successor of Merlin himself. Dave becomes Balthazar's apprentice, and together the two must stop Horvath, and an evil sorceress from, you guessed it, taking over the world.

So, yeah, story is been there, done that. Awkward hero and scary mentor, threat of global apocalypse, simplistic action plot, silly comic relief, awkward romance, it's all there. But, it's what the movie does with that is why it's so fun, and the action is actually fun to watch. Fast Paced, Well staged, and I have no problems with the pacing, except for the prologue which feels pretty rushed, and the ending which feels rushed and kind of abrupt as well.

Performances in the movie are fun too. Jay Baruchel and Nicolas Cage's chemistry on screen is so much fun, not only that, but they're good on their own as well. I want to give some serious credit to Alfred Molina as well, who's practically made a career out of being a scene stealer in any movie he's in. The rest of the cast, while not fully developed, most of them are fun to watch.

The tech design of this movie is cool too. The visuals are nice to look at, the sound mix and design is great, and the production design is also cleverly done. Nice cinematography too, and Trevor Rabin provides a typical, yet not too shabby orchestral score.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is far from perfect. It's no Inception or Toy Story 3, but if you're looking for a fun, entertaining popcorn flick to spend two hours at the cinema, then this one isn't a bad choice.

I give it **1/2 out of ****
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7/10
Typical but fun blockbuster
helmutty24 July 2010
In USA, this is clashed against the highly superior Inception and therefore, it has not earn as much money as it is thought to be. Inception is a great movie with not so straight forward storyline. So there is a movie oppose to Inception, The Sorcerer's Apprentice with its straight forward cliché' story. Singapore is smart to release them in different weeks.

The story: How many times have this kind of 'be a hero and get the girl' premises been in movies. The Sorcerer's Apprentice is the latest movie to feature that. The only thing different is the cool action scenes. With much special effects as enhancement, the action scenes are candy eye which try to replace the cliché' story about a nerd training into an apprentice of a sorcerer and getting the girl he is so mad in love. I had fun seeing the characters whacking out each other with magical balls and powers. Trevor's score is good as usual.

Overall: I guess this is for those who don't like complex movies like Inception which need some thinking. This is a typical blockbuster movie with CGI and action scenes towering over its simple plot. I like it for its brave front of just having cool CGI action scenes to keep the story going. When the movie ended, I felt that I would actually like to see more adventures of them. It is good for what it is. A full-blown CGI action movie.
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7/10
A Fun And Underrated Modern Take On The Arthurian Legend While Creating its own thing
KalKenobi831 November 2020
Watched The Sorcerer's Apprentice with Jay Baruchel(Fanboys) as Dave Sutler, Teresa Palmer(Bedtime Stories) as Becky Barnes, Omar Benson Miller(8 Mile) as Bennet Zurrow, Monica Belucci(The Matrix Reloaded) as Veronica Gorolosien, Toby Kebell(RocknRolla) as Drake Stone,James A.Stephens(Sherlock Holmes) as Merlin, Nicolas Cage(National Treasure) as Balthazar Blake, With Alfred Molina(Spider-Man 2 ) as Maxim Horvath, and Alice Krige(Star Trek:First Contact) as Morgana Le Fey .

I thought the film was good it was a little awkward at times between Dave and Becky also i enjoyed Cages Mentor as Blake also didn't mind the whole science is magic angle as well love this was disney's attempt to make Fantasia Universe i know they were hinting at Chernabog for his first live action appearance on the screen also enjoyed it has stuff included from the arthurian myth Merlin and Morgana. The Fights were great no use of wands or laser swords it was all hand magic A Fun And Underrated Modern Take On The Arthurian Legend While Creating its own thing

Score By Trevor Rabin(Remember The Titans), Cinematography By Bojan Bazelli(G-Force) direction by Jon Turtletaub(Cool Runnings) A Fun And Underrated Modern Take On The Arthurian Legend While Creating its own thing 7/10
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6/10
Entertaining
bob-rutzel-118 January 2011
Balthazar (Cage) is a Sorcerer in the present day and finds Dave (Baruchel) who will become his apprentice to help defeat Horvath (Molina) another Sorcerer who has designs on ending the known world. This can't be good.

I was afraid there would be too much CGI in here, but I think the right mix was found. When you have Sorcerers you know you are going to see magic and these days you need CGI - otherwise what's the point?

This was highly entertaining and good family fun.

Okay, some downsides. Okay, picky ones. Dave was portrayed as too GEEKY and, at times, mostly in the beginning as a 20-yr old, he was annoying. Also when he broke with Balthazar and says he cannot do it (defeat Horvath), the very next scene he is in has him backing Balthazar up and getting him out of Horvath's clutches. What changed his mind? Where was the epiphany?

Also, here Dave has an opportunity to save the world and he is more concerned about being next to Becky (Palmer) his love interest. The enormity of the world-saving-bit hasn't really hit home with him. Yes, yes, we know about conflict, hormones, indecision, and a moment of truth, but this went too far into unbelievable even for an unbelievable story about Sorcerers in the modern world.

However, the real winner in here is Molina's Horvath. Horvath is kind of a nice bad-guy who we wished was a good guy. He played it perfectly mixing comedy with meaness. The interplay between Balthazar and Horvath was very good and issued some good lines. For the most part, Molina's Horvath saves the movie.

As for Nicolas Cage, he was the straight man (um good Sorcerer) in all of this and played the part perfectly.

All in all a good time for the family.

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: No.
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3/10
Awful Collection of Clichés and Special Effects with a Dreadful Nasal Lead Actor
claudio_carvalho20 November 2010
In 740 A.D., in Britain, the disciple of Merlin Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina) joins to the wicked Morgana le Fay (Alice Krige) and betrays his master. However, the other two disciples of Merlin Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) and Veronica (Monica Bellucci) defeat the evil and Balthazar traps Horvath in a magic vessel and Veronica merges with Morgana and they are trapped in another recipient. Along the centuries, Balthazar unsuccessfully seeks out the Prime Merlian, the only sorcerer capable to destroy Morgana, using a dragon ring and he finally finds him in the present days in Manhattan. The clumsy nerd Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel) is chosen by a magic dragon ring and Balthazar teaches magic to him. However the sorcerer's apprentice is in love with Becky Barnes (Teresa Palmer) and questions whether he is really the chosen one.

The deceptive "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is an awful collection of clichés and special effects with a dreadful nasal lead actor. The annoying Jay Baruchel is not funny and is also one of the worst actors I have ever seen, and he ruins the film. The predictable story uses all the imaginable clichés, with explosions, car races and special effects trying to be attractive. I do not understand how a producer invests millions of dollars in a film with Jay Baruchel in a lead role, and why Nicolas Cage and Monica Bellucci accepted to work in this flick. Jay Baruchel should use his payment to go to a speech and language pathologist and have acting classes. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "O Aprendiz de Feiticeiro" ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice")
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7/10
Oh oh oh it's magic, you know, never believe it's not so.
hitchcockthelegend10 March 2013
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
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5/10
a movie featuring Nicolas Cage and Alfred Molina as dueling sorcerers shouldn't be this... bland
Quinoa198418 July 2010
Jerry Bruckheimer, you should usually know what you get and pay for with his films, but every so often one hopes that the bar will be raised. Sometimes the action and excitement works in delirious ways (a former Nicolas Cage vehicle, Con Air), and other times it sinks to new lows (Bad Boys II). Most other times, it's the home of the mall-cineplex brand of generic, mundane action movies that have competent direction and cinematography and are so over-produced that they sound much like the over-produced pop songs featured on the soundtrack. The Sorcerer's Apprentice, another Bruckheimer movie directed by Jon Turtletaub and starring Cage is no exception. But the potential that is squandered is what is kind of sad. Kind of, I say, since it could have been worse.

It's the old story of a young guy plucked up to be the "chosen one" because he has some kind of gift (or he's just interested, both are the case here), and has a 'master' (not a mentor, there's a difference I guess) who teaches him the ropes. Jay Baruchel and Cage play apprentice and master, and they're facing off against Alfred Molina's Horvath, one of three Merlin students who are now foes in 2010 vying to stop/open a vase with an evil witch in their who can destroy the world, yada yada, Baruchel has a girl he wants to be with and/or protect, so on so forth. The script is by the numbers, so much so that watching the trailer you only get a hint as to how laid-out everything is. If you guessed, for example, that there will be a moment when the young hero decides this isn't for him because it's "too hard", you guessed right. And if you guessed that he comes back, you just won the 64,000 dollars.

What's the potential here? Not so much Jay Baruchel, who once again plays the wimpy nerd who has a few clever one liners and is mostly just a by-the-book nerdy guy (worked much better in How to Train Your Dragon by the way). It's the older stars, Cage and Molina, that could have so much fun with their roles. On occasion they do, and one can tell they had some thrills putting on their old-style costumes- Cage in particular looking like he could be out of film-noir as much as a sorcerer- but the script gives them little to do except declare things to other characters and deliver exposition. It's sad especially to see Cage, who had two roles in a role where he came alive (Terence McDonaugh and Big Daddy), slumming it in ways reminiscent of Next or Bangkok Dangerous. He takes the role where it goes, but he's just really there, all apart of the bland action-movie veneer. Where's the excitement, even if it's bad excitement, when he flies a mechanical eagle across the sky or shoots fireballs?

Perhaps for children this should do; watching it I could imagine the Nostalgia Critic (or Nostalgia Critic Jr) taking it to task, years down the line. It has cool special effects and a modern soundtrack and a good-lookin' female supporting love interest for Baruchel who will probably get a lot of work soon. It's also got a wooden plot and only one really neat action/chase scene, in Times Square with mirrors. It's a mostly flat Hollywood endeavor with a few really talented people.
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8/10
Fun
FiendishDramaturgy25 July 2010
Dueling sorcerers, a compelling back-story, top-notch acting talent, and the Disney brand bring the idea born of Fantasia's Sorcerer's Apprentice to the big screen in a live full movie adaptation. While this film did not fully live up to its potential, it is a fun movie which will find its way into the collection.

This is silly and sappy just like any other live action Disney movie, and if allowed, will worm its way into the heart in a disingenuous way. If you view this film expecting Casablanca or the Godfather, you WILL be unimpressed. But if you go in expecting to be entertained, you shouldn't be disappointed.

The action sequences between Cage and Molina aren't elevated as much as many would expect, due to the story centering around the kid's battle, not Balthazar's. This is another standard Disney formula wherein the kid is undeserving, unprepared, and uneducated in the ways of the Samurai but is thrust into the center of the fray, regardless. Those who would rail against this formula, obviously weren't there to see a Disney movie.

All in all? The five of us ranging in age from 45 to 15, loved it. It is clever, and creative, marrying the science of magic known by today's standards with the arcane stories of our past. I found it intriguing and adventurous enough not to be preachy, while still managing to educate even the most unwilling movie goer.

It rates an 8.4/10 from...

the Fiend :.
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6/10
The Kid's A Fast Learner
bkoganbing4 August 2010
Throughout the ages Nicholas Cage has been hunting for someone he can teach the sorcerer's trade too. He's got a big problem because he's been keeping all kinds of demons in some magic prison type jars and they're ready to bust.

It's fate that when he finds the kid who grows up to be Jay Baruchel, his rival down through the age escapes. Alfred Molina is that selfsame rival and his mission is to free the greatest female sorcerer and evilest woman of all time, Morgan LeFay. When Alice Krige as Morgan busts out of her jar, the whole world is in peril.

Walt Disney's Studio revived one of their most famous titles, a Mickey Mouse cartoon that was honored back in the day called The Sorcerer's Apprentice. This film bears no resemblance to that bit of animation history, but it's still an entertaining film with the cast all performing at their very best.

My own favorite was English actor Toby Kebbell playing a David Copperfield type magician who is Molina's sidekick, but in fact merely turns out to be a useful idiot. Baruchel and Teresa Palmer as the beauty queen who is his true love make a nice couple. Besides that, this is the wish dream of every science nerd out there, to woo and win the homecoming queen. Of course what she goes through would be enough to bond her for life to Baruchel.

As for being a science nerd, magic is nice, but a little scientific knowledge helps a lot as well. In the end Cage and Baruchel learn from each other as the younger guy has a few science tricks to help defeat the bad guys.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is not going to be ever listed as one of the great products from the Magic Kingdom, but it's an entertaining family film a good recommendation in these days.
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1/10
Horrible.... Unbearable acting by Jay Baruchel...... Yuck....
amarjiith7 January 2013
The movie would really have been a very good one had Jay not been the main character. His acting was horrible. He speaks in an animated voice, making grimaces, and trying to be overly foolish. To be precise, Jay appeared like an animated character. Other than his acting, everything in the movie was good. But since he was the main character of the movie, the entire movie was ruined. His acting was similar to that of star war's Hayden Christensen.

By the way about the videography, sound and graphics, I would rate it 9/10. Also acting of all other actors including Cage, Molina were very good.

So I opine that you should watch this movie only if you could tolerate Hayden Christensen's acting in star wars 2 and 3.

Please rate this review after reading it.
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Cage and Molina are perfect. Fun Film.
DUKEJBM17 July 2010
A mild surprise but a pleasant one at that. It's pretty much exactly what you would expect but the performances and the special effects elevate the film to better than average popcorn summer fun. This movie serves its purpose and brings a smile to your face. Cage and Molina are perfectly cast and deliver exceptional performances. In fact, the entire cast does a really nice job. The story doesn't exactly have tremendous depth but it sets up enough and certainly delivers enough emotion to make it worthwhile. Honestly, the characters give off a serious "Dr. Strange" vibe and for a Marvel fan like me, that's a very good thing.
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