Film Reviews

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

• Rating:
• Director: Jon Turteltaub
• Starring: Jay Baruchel
• Details: US/108mins PG

Essentially rescued from just plain bad by the affable charm of Jay Baruchel, this Jerry Bruckheimer produced kiddie flick isn't without its moments, but just feels flat when it should scream fantastical. Cage is also sleepwalking through proceedings, and after brilliant performances in Bad Lieutenant and Kick Ass, this is the quirky movie star returning to more mainstream fare with a resounding splash of mediocrity.
Baruchel is Dave, a brainy physics geek who hasn't been the same since a strange incident that occurred when he was a youngster. Inadvertently finding his way to Nic Cage's ancient sorcerer's New York store, he was witness to an epic battle between Cage's noble Balthazar, and the recently escaped Maxim Horvath. Escaping with his life and a nifty dragon ring that can only be worn by the chosen one, Dave has never recovered from the humiliation of that day when no one believed his story. Ten years later and he meets Balthazar again, becoming his apprentice after Maxim kicks off another attempt at world domination.
Going down the superstar route like many before him (being the best thing in a soso film) Baruchel is a distinctive breath of fresh air whenever he's on screen. His persona seems to flitter between the geeky scientist from The Simpsons, and Michael Cera, with the Canadian actor just needing the right role - possibly one he's originated himself - to really excel in Hollywood. Here he manages to be believable in a film that, while sporadically fun, is trying to do too many things at once to rank as a complete blockbuster.
One sequence, involving magic mirrors and some speeding sports cars careering through Manhattan, does manage to delight, but most other attempts at wizardry action feel somewhat messy, and ultimately derivative. Helmer Turteltaub leads things towards an ending strangely reminiscent of Ghostbusters, but still can't inject any life into it as Monica Belluci makes a muted cameo.
Younger audience members hungry for some Harry Potter style shenanigans sans the specky one and his wand may find plenty here to enjoy, and it's far from the worst of the summer. It just doesn't deliver outside of the box.

Review by Mike Sheridan