EVER since Harry Potter, Hollywood has been churning out films about nerdy, unpopular teens with magical powers on practically a yearly basis.
This time around our hero is a college student called Dave (Jay Baruchel), but the premise is essentially the same — boy meets good wizard, boy discovers he has powers and only boy can save the world from evil.
Convinced a brush with ancient wizards Balthazar Blake (Nicholas Cage) and Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina) is a figment of his childhood imagination, Dave is more than a little shocked when the pair of sworn enemies pop out of a magical pot in search of him and the magical Russian nesting doll they believe he possesses.
Trapped inside the doll is super bitch and all round evil bad-ass sorceress Morgana la Fey, who only Dave, as Merlin's direct descendant, can stop from destroying the world.
Fortunately, what it lacks in originality it makes up with some breathtaking special effects and action sequences, including a gobsmacking car chase where Dave and Balthazar are magically transported into the backwards, topsy turvy world of a mirror image.
Another fun scene is a charming nod to Disney's classic Mickey Mouse cartoon Fantasia, where Dave tries to avoid cleaning up by magically bringing to life an army of mops.
Baruchel is likeable enough as the nerdy young wizard and although a burgeoning romance with classmate Becky (Teresa Palmer) is convincing enough, attempts at melodrama largely fall flat.
After a string of roles stinking of desperation, Nicolas Cage looks like an alcoholic tramp as the titular sorcerer but his hammy acting is finally put to good use here and for once he resists the temptation to shout like a madman at the end of every sentence.
Molina is also enjoyable enough as the wicked Maxim, aided by inept illusionist Drake (Toby Kebbell), but his character is nothing you haven't seen before in countless other children's adventures.
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Unfortunately, The Sorcerer's Apprentice may have mastered the technical aspects of casting the perfect spell, but its bumpy pacing and ham-fisted storytelling mean there's little real magic to be found.
Nevertheless its entertaining hocus pocus and is bound to keep younger audiences quiet for a couple of hours.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (PG) is out tomorrow.
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