The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

Master sorcerer Balthazar Blake must find and train Merlin's descendant to defeat dark sorceress Morgana le Fey.

Director:

Jon Turteltaub

Writers:

Lawrence Konner (screen story), Mark Rosenthal (screen story)

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	Balthazar
Jay Baruchel	...	Dave
Alfred Molina	...	Horvath
Teresa Palmer	...	Becky
Toby Kebbell	...	Drake Stone
Omar Benson Miller	...	Bennet
Monica Bellucci	...	Veronica
Alice Krige	...	Morgana
Jake Cherry	...	Young Dave
James A. Stephens	...	Merlin
Gregory Woo	...	Sun-Lok
Wai Ching Ho	...	Chinese Woman
Jason R. Moore	...	Subway Mugger (as Jason Moore)
Robert Capron	...	Young Dave's Pal (as Robert B. Capron)
Peyton List	...	Young Becky (as Peyton Roi List)

Storyline

Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. 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.

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Plot Keywords:

training | spell | love | chosen one | enchanted object | 

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Taglines:

It's The Coolest Job Ever.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Disney [United States] Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

Cantonese English Ukrainian

Release Date:

14 July 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Duell der Magier

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$150,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$17,619,622 (USA) (16 July 2010)

Gross:

$63,143,812 (USA) (22 October 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Saturn Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The alarm clock that Dave pressed when he was still a kid was a figure of Buzz Light year from the movie Toy Story which was also produced by Disney.

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Goofs

When the film indicates that it is "Ten Years Later, To The Day" before showing Dave as an adult, it is understood that it is the year the film was released; 2010. Therefore, the events of his childhood encounter at the Arcana Cabana would be anytime in the year 2000. However, in the shot of his school bus on the bridge that shows the downtown New York skyline, the twin towers of the World Trade Center are not there. However the "Ten Years Later" could be in the future.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: The war between Sorcerers was fought in the shadows of history, and the fate of mankind rested with the just and powerful Merlin. He told his secrets to three trusted apprentices: Balthazar, Veronica, and Horvath. He should have trusted only two.

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Crazy Credits

There is a very brief (30 seconds or less) scene at the very end. SPOILER: The scene opens in the store Arcana Cabana, where we see the Mickey sorcerer hat under glass, then Horvath's hat, followed by a hand (Obviously Horvath, since we see his cane as well) picking it up and a roach left behind.

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Connections

References King Kong (1933)

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Soundtracks

Le Nocturne De Lumiere
Written and Performed by BT
Courtesy of Nettwerk Music Group

User Reviews

A decent surprise.

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.