El aprendiz de brujo

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.

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.

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.

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.

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