Balthazar Blake recruits a young lad who is ignorant of the sorcery that lies within as he wonders if he can survive the training, save the city and find his true love.
There is much that's appealing, from the performances to the scene where Turteltaub re-creates a live-action version of the classic scene from Disney's Fantasia.
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
March 09, 2011
Whether intentional or not, The Sorcerer's Apprentice plays like Disney's stalled attempt to launch a stripped down Harry Potter-like franchise.
It also looks quite nice with some well-designed adventure moments and clean camera work that's flashy but usually elegant. But that's a few islands of interest on a sea of interchangeable marketing parts that's all sizzle and no substance.
As an object to look at and be zoomed along in like an amusement park ride -- which is all it's meant to be -- this movie is pretty much more of the summery same.
As Balthazar, Cage doesn't disappoint. He's just manic enough to keep the character from becoming too predictable. More's the pity, then, that a pro like him has to cede so much screen time to his character's young protege.
