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Category: Film

Published on Sunday, 05 February 2012 19:18

Written by Janet Walker

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The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the newest film from the collaborating team of Nic Cage, Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turtletaub, held its World Premiere at the historic New Amsterdam Theater located at the cross roads of the World, Times Square New York, New York.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice crackles with spellbinding electricity, visually stunning special effects and charms with high energy fast action fun! Directed by Jon Turtletaub, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Pictures and stars Nic Cage as Master Sorcerer, Balthazar Blake, the last known descendent of the 15^th century noble sorcerer’s.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice begins with a brief historic introduction that captures the audience, and will capture the teen, game-boy market, with a mystical mythological battle between the good or noble sorcerers and the extreme wicked.

The mythic battle leaves the master instructor dying, comforted by Balthazar his dedicated student; he imparts his last wish and command. With evil imprisoned and only Balthazar free, he travels the world and time on a path of discovery for the next noble sorcerer who would be fit to fight the powers of evil.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice moves very well through the historic introduction into the modern and then with only a glimpse of what is to come fast forwards into contemporary New York City. Alfred Molina is introduced early as the first layer of the extreme wicked, the evil Sorcerer Maxim Horvath. As fate, chance, serendipity, happenstance or coincidence work the two, Balthazar and the young apprentice, are brought together.

As extreme wicked is unleashed in 21^st century New York, with the releasing of evil after a ten year stay,  the world is actually divided between the two and their apprentices. Evil, of course, makes due with the hand dealt and ends with a British punk magician, Drake Stone played very well by Toby Kebbel, with, as he states, “Prescription worthy abandonment issues” brought on by his original Sorcerer’s flight of fancy.

The brush with The Sorcerer has left the young apprentice, Dave Stutler, now ten years later played by Jay Baruchel, with an inferiority complex, an introverted personality and the single most important tangible memory of a truth that all want him to denounce as imaginary: A green-eyed Dragon Ring a gift from Balthazar.

The metaphors throughout The Sorcerer’s Apprentice are witty and keep the adult audience on full listening mode. This film does allow for escapism. The elements of physics, computer generated lightening, high tech light shows producing crackling blue bolts to the beat of one’s favorite tune, all the contemporary gadgets,  fused with magical strength, along with the elements of fun, foolery, the battle of good and evil and humor all add to its attraction.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is visually stunning, not through the scenery as it is shot on location in Manhattan but with special effects and vivid neon colors. The elements of wizardry and truth through experimental physics electrode charges are highly interesting and create a plausibility of truth.

There are fun moments as the young sorcerer’s apprentice takes his magic powers into his own hands and attempts, as time dictates, a fast clean up only to find that inanimate objects that are given life no matter the brevity are reluctant return to their lifeless state.

The awkwardness of adolescence has remained as the young apprentice acknowledges his calling only to find when the intersection of life, duty and romance collide they often create the strength to face the challenges head on, yield or walk away and usually a combination of all three.

This film has Nic Cage in what can be considered his grunge best. For some unexplainable reason Cage is comfortable and we are comfortable with him. He has over the past twenty years starred in many films and suddenly he’s a screen idol.

This role has him in what fits him best. His face is familiar and no new anything to speak of and oddly even the description is the same and yet, the on screen charisma he emits in this film is as electric as the wizardry that develops and entertains throughout the story line.

Chemistry? Chemistry with the role; chemistry with the audience or simply chemistry with life, trouble off screen has created a welcome place on screen, a place for his work to shine and for us to enjoy him, at what could be a season of his best.

The film also stars Monica Bellucci, Teresa Palmer Alfred and Jake Cherry as the young Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is a spell of ride! Nic Cage charms and Jerry Bruckheimer’s magic touch is alive and well. A rollicking, high energy fact action, fun film! See it!

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice opens nationwide July 14, 2010.