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A new trailer for The Sorceror’s Apprentice has landed online, and boy is it action-packed. Nicolas Cage stars as the titular sorcerer, and Jay Baruchel plays the titular apprentice.
The story has only loose roots in the original Disney classic, though the buckets and mops of old do make an appearance in the trailer (around the 2:13 mark). This film version follows a rather traditional good vs. evil plot, with Cage’s character Balthazar Blake recruiting Baruchel’s Dave Stutler as his protege. Apparently, the seemingly average Dave is destined to be a powerful sorcerer that will decide the balance of power in the age-old struggle, with Balthazar’s arch-nemesis Maxim Horvath, played by Alfred Molina, leading the charge for the bad guys.
For something billed as a “comedy adventure,” there doesn’t seem to be a lot of comedy at all. In fact, as fun as all the action/adventuring looks, the biggest problem I have with the trailer is that it takes itself too seriously. The only hint of humor really is at the end, and it definitely has me wishing they would’ve showcased an evener balance, which I do believe is in the movie, just not revealed here. Though I guess it is pretty funny that, in a movie about sorcery and magic (and fireballs?), the biggest hurdle for my suspension of disbelief remains, as ever, Nicolas Cage’s hairpiece. Go figure.
Apple’s got the trailer in HD, which you can catch (along with some stills) after the jump. Read»
To be honest, I’ve been a little ambivalent up til now about seeing Dreamworks Animation’s How To Train Your Dragon. My one prevailing interest in the project has been the involvement of Chris Sanders and Dean DuBois, the creative team behind Lilo & Stitch and American Dog, an animation project that was eventually scrapped for parts and recycled into Bolt. I just wasn’t sold on the premise alone, but after seeing this trailer, consider me a little intrigued.
The story, as you may already know, concerns a young Viking named Hiccup who lives on the island of Berk. Fighting dragons is a way of life here, and despite his smaller size, he is desperate to prove his worthiness during Initiation to both his fellow tribesman and his father. When he finally gets his big shot however, he finds himself instead befriending an injured dragon, an act that turns his world upside down. What works best in the trailer is the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless, the young dragon he spares (some footage here is probably rough, as Toothless goes from being toothed to gummy between shots). You can already sense the hijinks these two will get into, and the somewhat strangely-matched voice acting by Jay Baruchel soon wins you over with his dry, deadpan humor.
Yahoo’s got the trailer, which you can check out after the jump. Read»
Sequels for Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and Shrek included. Read»
