Movie Review Monday on Tuesday: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

So I've decided that I'm going to do this thing. I'm calling it "Movie Review Monday." Whether it will happen on Mondays remains to be seen, but there you are.

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If you know me (in any capacity), you know three things about me:

1) I am tall (and thanks for letting me know...'cause I had no idea),

2) I melt with fanboyish delight at the mention of Harry Potter, and

3) I pride myself on my ever-expanding film collection (latest count sits at 431).

In recent months, I have found myself to be something of a very critical...well, critic of movies and TV shows. I guess it comes with the territory.

So rather than flood my friends' News Feeds with Flixter Reviews from my iPhone (shameless plug!), I'm going to channel those critiques into my blog. That way, you four loyal readers are guaranteed at least one entry a week. :D

I will model each of my reviews as follows:

- how well the film is made (acting, writing, direction)

- if it reaches its target audience

- parental cautions

- Christian conclusion

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way a professional movie-maker or movie-breaker. These are my personal thoughts. 'Kay?

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The subject of my first review is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the newest lovechild of Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney. It stars Nicolas Cage (National Treasure) as Balthazar Blake, a centuries-old sorcerer in search for the "Next Big Thing" in magic. Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up) stars as Dave Stutler, that "Next Big Thing." Naturally, the film follows the story of how Dave becomes a sorcerer under Balthazar's tutelage. Oh, and there's also a evil sorcerer, played by Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2).

I thought this film was a lot of fun. The acting is good enough with a healthy dose of camp to let us know that the actors aren't taking their roles too seriously. Cage is best when he doesn't try too hard and here we see that. Throughout the film, Baruchel delivers more of those great one-line zingers that got him noticed in his earlier films. Surprisingly, he capably carries the film as the titular hero. The supporting cast all does a great job with what they're given, and unknown Teresa Palmer works as the quirky love interest.

Like the acting, the writing is believable enough to not make you groan, but campy enough that lets you know not to take it too seriously.

The film is directed by Jon Turteltaub, who we've all seen before with both National Treasure films. Apprentice is very much in the vein of those two, and Turteltaub proves he can capably handle a popcorn flick.

With its mid-summer release opposite Chrisopher Nolan's mindbender Inception, Apprentice aims to appeal to all those who aren't yet able to (and those who plain don't want to) appreciate Nolan's conceptually-layered parfait of a film. To that end, it succeeds. Every young boy is going to eat this film up. And if the teenage crowd can get over the PG-rating and lack of boobs, I think they would be pleasantly surprised.

Oh! And if you are a OneRepublic fan, you'll be happy to know that the song "Secrets" features strongly in a particular scene in a very cool way. in fact, the film's entire soundtrack is enjoyable. The end credits led me to discover (with the help of Shazam for iPhone) the band Alpha Rev and their song "Phoenix Burn".

Of course, no one film will appeal to all types. Young girls won't find much beyond a few cute magic tricks and a light romance in the way of a fairy tale. Older folks who are looking for a more mature magical movie would be better off watching something else, too.

For any parents- that being potential, pending, and present- this film does hold some caution. First off, while no blood is seen (hello? it's magic), the film features a lot more death than I expected. Several characters are done away with so suddenly that it caught me off guard. Secondly, there's the giant CGI dragon. It's not in the film for a very long time, but for the time it is, it's pretty in-your-face.

Then there's the issue of the magic. Without being too spoilerish, I will say that the film explains its magic in a scientific way, which I assume is to placate any claims from conservative families of occult themes...as if that would stop them. But still, a parent is a parent is a parent, so there you go.

My conclusion on this movie is that it is a very fun and fast-paced summer flick. It's not going to win Oscars, but it's not going to interest the Razzie board, either. That the film seems to know this is a relief, too.

If you're a Disney fan, you will like this movie. The more hardcore Disney fans will know that this film is based (very loosely) on an animated short of the same name from Fantasia, the ambitious 1940 musical film. There is a specific scene in Apprentice that pays homage to the short that is sure to make you smile.

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As a youth minister, I try to find Christian truths in the pop culture world we live in. I see The Sorcerer's Apprentice as harmless entertainment, but that doesn't mean it can't be used to bring Christ to the surface. For starters, the bond between Balthazar and Dave is reminiscent of a healthy father-son relationship and the ups and downs it goes through. The theme of sacrifice is strong in this film, first seen during the medieval prologue and brought full circle during the finale, which features a character making the choice to save the girl he loves with great consequence to himself, and another choosing to sacrifice himself for the sake of the many. The film even hints at an unseen, unnamed higher power, from whom the ability of magic came from.

Once this film is out on DVD, youth groups all over the country could easily turn this into a lively movie devotion.

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So that was my first review. Awful? Awesome? Well, whatever it was, I had fun doing it. Look for more to come. If you want me to review a specific film that you don't see here, ask me! That would make me feel special :D.