It was time for another movie review. We were trying to view "Inception" but kids were not allowed and it has been awhile since we went out without the kids especially the movies. So we are kinda keeping that on hold. Though I have been watching a lot of older movies that has been downloaded on my media center.
As with most Disney movies which is either inspired by their rides or their old cartoons. This movie in my humble opinion was inspired by the "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" cartoon staring Mickey Mouse. It's the cartoon where Mickey steals into the sorcerer's spell book and conjures a spell that brings all the brooms, mops and pails to life and they start cleaning the castle or dungeon or spell room??
So this movie which has absolutely nothing to do with the cartoon save for this scene, has a slightly more sinister storyline. The evil-witch-trapped-in-a-box-and-needs-to-get-out-to-create-havoc-on-the-world-and-destroying-life-as-we-know-it plot. OF course there is a good love story in it as well to spice things up. We are romantics, what can we say.
It is about Merlin (yes that mythical sorcerer from King Arthur's time) who entrusts his secrets to 3 apprentices. Balthazar, Horvath and Veronica. The secret needs to be kept away from Merlin's worst enemy, Morgana Le Fey, (another character from the King Arthur folklore). Horvath betrayed them but he, Veronica and Morgana were trapped. The only person who can destroy Morgana is the Prime Merlinian. So it is up to Balthazar to search for him/her. So our story goes....
Anyway, the lead character is the nasal voiced Jay Baruchel, which of course is the reluctant Prime Merlinian. You may remember him from "Tropic Thunder" if you weren't too busy looking at Robert Downey Jr. However, for me he was a huge hit in "How to Train Your Dragon" as the voice of the lead character, Hiccup. He doesn't disappoint here either. He is the least action hero you would expect and really looks more like a nerd that gets beaten up constantly and getting his head stuffed in the toilet by bullies.
Here he plays the reluctant hero that is nerdy, traumatized and unappreciated and he so looks the part. Jay is funny and delivers his lines on cue to make the situation even more comical.
The next interesting actor is Alfred Molina, the Dr. Octopus guy. He plays the villain Horvath. All round bad guy who wants to profit from the world destruction thing. Alfred played his part to the tee. He is bad when he wants to be. though I have seen him mostly as the bad guy. He has his moments like in Prince of Persia and Pink Panther 2.
Nicholas Cage was a tad disappointing and didn't really carry his character of Balthazar too well. Personally I would have preferred Ryan Reynolds but then the threesome with Alfred and Monica Belluci would be lopsided. Monica showed up for all 15mins of the movie. She probably had 2 lines and had to cry and kiss Nicholas Cage. Other than that, her character provided a little love interest but I think this was like a part-time job for someone like Monica (she and I are on a first name basis).
There was a love interest for Jay's character Dave and she wasn't too bad. I did like the part where the mops, brooms and pails came to life. That was pretty cool and Jay's character shows that the brainy guys can get the girl (as if you didn't know that was how it was going to end!!!).
A pretty decent fare all round. Not too shabby but not the kick-you-in-the-crotch-must-see fare. I give it a 2 1/2 Chindian thumb up. So go learn, be brainy. Girls dig that too.
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