Thought I'd get The Sorcerer's Apprentice "out of the way" this week before Inception threatens to destroy it into oblivion.  And so, with that encouraging thought, let's get to it!

Truthfully, there's not a whole lot to tell.  Apprentice excels in big Bruckheimer action, but it falls short in just about everything else.  This isn't meant to imply that ALL Bruckheimer films suffer from such a stigma -- a lot of 'em do, sure, but this is one of the few movies where the split is so conspicuous that it's downright jarring.  The action is good.  Like, really good.  The film works wonders when it focuses on the magic-fueled battles against Cage's Balthazar and Molina's villainous Horvath.  From a magic shop duel, a beautiful confetti-laden chase through Chinatown, to a showdown in a public restroom, these battles are choreographed with a keen eye for ferocity, and the accompanying special effects are a blast to watch.

Sadly, none of director Jon Turteltaub's confidence in the action translates to plot or character development.  One of the film's single biggest mistakes is front loading Balthazar's backstory at the very beginning.  This immediately robs the audience of the wonder and mystery of the character, while leaving little to the imagination of the narrative.  Had the sequence been utilized toward the later half of the film (I can pinpoint the EXACT moment where it would've worked as an effective flashback), it would have made for a wholly more organic and compelling way to forward the story.  Add to this two love stories awkwardly juxtaposed, surprisingly dull chemistry between Baruchel and Cage, a script that's riddled with wooden dialogue and painfully stupid one-liners, and a muscular but horribly inappropriate music score by RCP drone Trevor Rabin, and you can tell how polarizing the entire film is.

I must admit a big part of my wanting to see the film is because it's set in NYC.  See, we New Yorkers have this strange impulse to see any film that's based in our city.  I actually remember them filming here last summer, and it's awesome seeing places like NYU, Battery Park, and Time Square playing host to some spectacular setpieces.

Save this one for a rental.  The sweet action scenes alone don't justify the theatrical price of admission.

pretty much agree with your review Angie...  though the kids at the screening i was at all loved it to bits.  So if you have kids, they'll like it.