The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2002)
Every hundred years, the evil sorceress Morgana returns to claim Fingall's talisman from Merlin, with which she intends to destroy the world. For the last fourteen hundred years she has failed... now she intends to conquer all. Young Ben Clark moves with his parents to a new town, where he befriends his elderly magician neighbor, Milner. Ben has a natural talent for magic and wants to learn all that he can from this old man. Ben carries the same scar as the original staff-bearer 1,400 years before. Both Morgana and Milner, who is revealed to be Merlin, see this as a sign that this time, the battle between good and evil will be stronger and harder than ever. Ben must make his own choice between good and evil as he is drawn into a battle and must draw on his own spirit and magic to decide which path to follow and hence, the fate of the world as we know it.
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I'll tell you why so serious
Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
If I had read the other reviews here before DVRing this, I would not have bothered. I was able to stomach fifteen minutes of it before I checked these reviews - and the overall rating - and realized I'd made a mistake. It is definitely for children, there's absolutely nothing to hold an adult's interest. Not that I don't enjoy a kid movie now and then - the Nicholas Cage film with the same name as this one was worth watching. I like stories about Merlin and magic, when they are intelligently handled and well produced. I found the first Potter film only mildly entertaining. And this film is not nearly as well written or acted - and certainly not nearly as well produced as those. It feels made-for-TV, very low budget. So if you are looking for something to keep your four-year old occupied for a while, this might work. Just don't expect to enjoy sharing the experience.
This is one of my favorite Robert Davi films. I think he was marvelous in his part as Merlin, and the interaction between Ben and Himself is magical in itself. It just goes to show how talented Robert is and can handle any part or accent. I loved it! The South African country side was beautiful as well, and those houses were charming. Children and those young at heart should like this film, makes you want to believe in magic. And shows children that you can do anything you put your mind to. Children will come away from this film, learning to stand up for themselves and the difference between good and evil. and the women in the theaters will come away with dreams of Robert as Merlin making all their dreams come true- sigh!
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a great family movie!It has many good points, one being the special effects and the other the characters and story line!This movie will appeal to any child who enjoys a fun, entertaining, magical film!
Of course, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" does not play in the same league as, let's say, "Harry Potter". It's not a fair comparison anyway, if you consider the budget available to a production like "Harry Potter". If you take "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" as what it is and don't dwell too much on its weaknesses, it will be enjoyable to watch.All in all, David Lister's directing is solid, certainly not outstanding. Byron Taylor does a good job playing young Ben Clark, and he is far less annoying that the average American child actor. The highlight of the movie clearly is Robert Davi in the part of sorcerer Merlin, who is allowed to show another facet of his talent in this movie. And he obviously enjoys it. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is nice entertainment for kids and the whole family on a rainy Sunday afternoon.