Movie Review: 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' **

Nicolas Cage's darkly twisted performance as good cop-bad cop in last year's "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans," and his gloriously over-the-top turn as masked vigilante in the recent "Kick-Ass," if nothing else, reminded us of his potential as an actor who isn't afraid to take risks.

Cage as a sorcerer looking for an heir apparent to help him save the world in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" will remind you that the actor also has financial difficulties and could surely use the money.

A quick payday — there's really no other reason for Cage to step back into this role other than to pay off his IRS debt.

It's not that Cage is bad in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," it's just that he's not right for his part, a centuries-old English wizard named Balthazar who, over the course of time, has lost his British accent.

Cage has plenty of fun with the part, but it's a role that doesn't play to any of his strengths, namely that manic surge he delivers and sense of moral ambiguity that make him and his most successful characters so interesting. Even with spells galore at his disposal, Balthazar is a rather boring character.

Unfortunately for the film, that's a trait shared by most every character in the movie.

Joining Cage in the cast is the always likable, always nerdy Jay Baruchel as his apprentice, Dave, and Alfred Molina as the turncoat sorcerer Horvath who, for reasons the movie never explains, wants to destroy the world. (Molina's Horvath, it should be noted, is the lone exception to the dull characters.)

To bring about a new age of darkness, Horvath plans to let loose the evil Morgana (Alice Krige, whom you'll recall as the villainous Borg queen from "Star Trek: First Contact"), also known as nemesis of the all-powerful wizard Merlin.

Balthazar, along with the love of his life, Veronica (Monica Bellucci), and Horvath, were once the three apprentices of Merlin. Then Horvath betrayed them, and helped Morgana kill Merlin.

Before the evil sorceress could wreak havoc on the world, Veronica sacrificed herself to stop Morgana and trap her in a magical doll. Even with Morgana locked away, Balthazar knows the world won't truly be safe until she is dead, and only a wizard with Merlin's blood is powerful enough to do that.

For centuries Balthazar searched for Merlin's heir apparent while battling Horvath. Balthazar ultimately has managed to trap Horvath in the doll as well.

This entire setup is explained in a five-minute narrative at the beginning of the film. The movie does little to advance the plot much more than that.

When "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" jumps to the present day, Balthazar has found Dave and is convinced he's the one he's been looking for. Meanwhile, Horvath has been freed from the doll and vows to free Morgana as well.

Balthazar's mission changes to protect Dave from Horvath and teach him the necessary wizarding skills to finish what Merlin started.

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" deviates a bit from the fantasy action to give Dave a love interest, Becky (Teresa Palmer), a former schoolyard crush of his who has grown up to be smart, funny, beautiful, and single. (Only in Hollywood.)

Jon Turteltaub directed this action-fantasy. He's best known for the "National Treasure" movies, featuring Cage. But the film has producer Jerry Bruckheimer's marks all over it, for better and for worse.

This being a Bruckheimer film at heart, there are a lot of holes in the plot and much of the dialogue is silly and forgettable. IMDB.com lists four writers involved with the story and script, so the final version was no doubt assembled from various drafts, a sort of greatest-hits package of dialogue and story elements. But there's not much rhythm to it all. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" just ambles along in a harmless enough way, but there's nothing particularly compelling or interesting about it.

What should be the film's most interesting moment, a live-action reenactment of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" story — the inspiration for the film — is silly and pointless.

The same can be said of the film as well.

Contact Kirk Baird at:


kbaird@theblade.com


or 419-724-6734.