Here’s one that slipped past my radar — amazingly, as it appears to be everywhere suddenly.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (US-2010; dir. Jon Turteltaub)
No, it’s not this:
… though it is obviously inspired by it. The famous scene from the 1940 animated classic Fantasia remains one of Disney’s most iconic moments, so is it really surprising in this age of digital cannibalism that the studio would sooner-or-later extrapolate it into a live-action Good-vs-Evil epic?
At any rate, the sorcerer has been replaced by Nicolas Cage in unshaved, bad-hair mode and Mickey has been become a youthful, key-demographic ticking Jay Baruchel, with the ever-villainous Alfred Molina along for the ride.
Trailer:
So did you notice the broom scene?
Synopsis:
Walt Disney Studios, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub, the creators of the “National Treasure” franchise, present THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE — an innovative and epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice who are swept into the center of an ancient conflict between good and evil. Balthazar Blake (NICOLAS CAGE) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (ALFRED MOLINA). Balthazar can’t do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (JAY BARUCHEL), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It’ll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE. The screenplay is by Matt Lopez and Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard from a screen story by Matt Lopez and Larry Konner & Mark Rosenthal. (Official website)
The whole thing may or may not turn out to be yet another overblown example of “nothing’s interesting when anything is possible”, but it does have some giant monsters — and the dragon looks like it gets to do some city-trashing in good ol’ New York! (Click on the images to get the full effect.)
- Source: Official website
Wow. The visual effects are astounding. With big monsters absent from films the dragon looks like he may as of yet remind today’s jaded viewing audience how cool city destruction can be. Let’s just hope it fares better than “Knowing.”
Perseus, and the Olympians also attracted my attention with its multi-headed fire spouter, but somehow I don’t think it’ll do any better than the latest Mummy film.
How is Molina everywhere all of a sudden. He’s in this, Law & Order, a Broadway play, an film adaptation of The Tempest, with Helen Mirren and Russell Brand, and then there was the Prince of Persia not too long ago. He’s also a comedy genius, starring in a BBC sitcom at the moment with Dawn French called Roger and Val Have Just Got In.