Pads & Panels

Title: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Format: Blu-ray + DVD

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub

Written by: Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal, Matt Lopez, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Film Rating:

Blu-ray Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

The Film

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice immediately brings to mind images and sounds of Mickey Mouse conjuring to life brooms and other cleaning supplies in an effort to save himself some work with his chores. But then things go seriously awry, with the inanimate objects taking on life of their own, and in their zeal turn things into much more of a mess than the Mouse could have ever expected.

That scene helped define Walt Disney’s experimental project Fantasia, and made one of the world’s most iconic characters in the process. In retrospect, it is a perfect example of the character’s playfully mischievous traits, and is an expression of pure fun. In many ways, that would be a great way to describe Disney’s latest live-action extravaganza, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, if only the plot and the actors didn’t sometimes get in the way. (more…)

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Title: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

MPAA: PG-13

Directed by: Mike Newell

Written by: Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard

Producer: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

To say video games in cinema have had a tumultuous past would be an understatement. There arguably hasn’t been a single good English-language adaptation of the medium (aside from fan made gems like Mega Man). While comic fans have had their medium validated in Hollywood by the likes of Spider-Man, X2 and The Dark Knight, gaming fans are still waiting for their equivalent.

At this point, we’d probably even accept something along the quality lines of the Ang Lee Hulk, or even Fantastic Four, anything to get video game movies out of this rut. Instead, we’ve suffered through the laughably bad likes of Street Fighter and Hitman, as well as failed big budget attempts with Max Payne, Doom and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

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Enter Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It’s a Jerry Bruckheimer production, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the terribly named Dastan, aka the Prince of Persia. At the helm is Mike Newell, who has one Harry Potter film (Goblet of Fire) and the critically acclaimed Donnie Brasco, among others, to his name in the last decade. It also comes under the Walt Disney banner, the company no doubt looking for the next swashbuckling franchise to take up the mantle of Pirates of the Caribbean.

And considering all of these elements, Prince of Persia was poised to be just that, and possibly redeem the name of video game cinema in the process. At the very least, one could expect the Bruckheimer production to be loaded with bombastic action, dramatic acting and great special effects. Sure, a handful of cheesy one-liners – every 10 minutes – but an entertaining popcorn flick no less. Make no mistake – Prince of Persia is probably the best video game film adaptation ever made, but really, considering the competition, what is that saying? (more…)

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