Watch The Sorcerer's Apprentice

In the 2010 fantasy adventure film The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Nicolas Cage stars as Balthazar Blake, a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan. He takes on a reluctant apprentice named Dave Stutler, played by Jay Baruchel, to help him defeat his long-time arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). The film opens in the year 740 AD, where Merlin, Balthazar, and Maxim are in a fierce battle to gain control of the powerful sorcery that is contained within a magical urn. Merlin manages to trap Maxim inside the urn, but not before Maxim fatally wounds Merlin.

Fast-forward to present-day Manhattan, where a teenage Dave Stutler is just trying to survive high school. One day, he stumbles upon an antique shop and meets Balthazar, who recognizes Dave as the prime candidate for his apprentice. Balthazar tells Dave he is a sorcerer, and shows him the arcane world that exists alongside the everyday world of New York City.

Balthazar tells Dave that he has been searching for a special person, who is known as the Prime Merlinian, someone who has the power to defeat Maxim Horvath once and for all. Dave is skeptical at first, but when he accidentally releases Maxim from the urn, he realizes that everything Balthazar told him was true.

Maxim Horvath is now loose in the city, and he wants to find the magical Grimhold that contains the souls of Morgan le Fay, Balthazar's long-dead love, and Veronica Gorloisen, Maxim's long-dead love. The Grimhold is the key to ultimate power, and both Balthazar and Maxim will stop at nothing to get it.

The bulk of the movie revolves around Balthazar teaching Dave how to use his magical powers to defeat Maxim and retrieve the Grimhold. Dave is a reluctant student at first, but as he begins to understand the world of magic and the role he plays in it, he starts to embrace his powers and his destiny.

The special effects are a highlight of the film; the magic is visually stunning and truly transports viewers into the fantasy world of sorcery. Watching Balthazar and Maxim duel with their spells is a treat for any fan of the genre, and the film doesn't skimp on the action and excitement.

The performances are strong, if a bit over-the-top at times. Nicolas Cage is his usual eccentric self as Balthazar, and Alfred Molina chews the scenery as the evil Maxim. Jay Baruchel brings a nice balance to the film, playing the sarcastic and reluctant hero with just the right amount of humor and heart.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a fun, action-packed adventure that will appeal to fans of fantasy and magic. While it doesn't break any new ground in terms of storytelling, it's an entertaining ride that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a 2010 fantasy movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 46.