Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- breezy
- whimsical
- family movie night
- fantasy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the likable cast and CGI spectacle entertaining but considered the film formulaic and underwhelming for demanding viewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Balthazar recruits apparently average Manhattan student Dave Stutler after recognizing his hidden potential, then gives him intensive sorcery training.
Sorcerers, mystical artifacts, and magical combat are placed directly within modern Manhattan streets and institutions.
The film foregrounds magical effects, supernatural confrontations, and visually elaborate sorcery as major attractions.
The PG presentation, Dave's comic awkwardness, and his effort to save the city and get the girl create a light commercial fantasy register.
Films like The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and why
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Shares a contemporary fantasy adventure structure, reluctant young apprentice, magical training, and family-friendly supernatural spectacle.
The Last Airbender
Combines modern urban settings with secret magic, an inexperienced protagonist, and accessible action-fantasy humor.
The Golden Compass
Features a reluctant ordinary hero recruited into a hidden supernatural conflict, with comic fantasy action and a romantic subplot.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Shares mentor-apprentice dynamics, magical battles, youthful coming-of-age, and broad studio fantasy entertainment.
Movie Details
- Director
- Jon Turteltaub
- Release Date
- 2010-07-13
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (5400)
Cast
- Nicolas Cage
- Jay Baruchel
- Alfred Molina
- Teresa Palmer
- Toby Kebbell
- Omar Benson Miller
- Monica Bellucci
- Alice Krige
- Robert Capron
- James A. Stephens
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Sorcerer's Apprentice about?
- A reluctant Manhattan student becomes the apprentice of a flamboyant sorcerer and learns to wield magic against an ancient enemy threatening the city.
- What is The Sorcerer's Apprentice like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Sorcerer's Apprentice as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Sorcerer's Apprentice violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Sorcerer's Apprentice as mild.
- What did critics think of The Sorcerer's Apprentice?
- Critics broadly found the likable cast and CGI spectacle entertaining but considered the film formulaic and underwhelming for demanding viewers.
- Which films are like The Sorcerer's Apprentice?
- Films with a similar feel include Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Last Airbender, The Golden Compass, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
- How long is The Sorcerer's Apprentice?
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Sorcerer's Apprentice?
- In United States, The Sorcerer's Apprentice streams on Disney Plus.
