The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Spoilers)

This post may contain spoilers.

As a treat for my mom's birthday (Saturday) the family went to see Disney's new Sorcerer's Apprentice movie. I'll just start off by saying that while I enjoyed it, it certainly isn't for everyone.

First off, manage your expectations. It is a Disney movie based off a Disney short film featuring Mickey Mouse. Do not go in expecting a bunch of gore, or sex, or even foul language. There isn't any. This movie is designed to be kid friendly.

Second, if you aren't a kid, or a geek, you probably won't like this movie. There are a lot of subtle moments that would only appeal to children or geeks who know what the references were. If you don't appreciate a good "These aren't the droids you're looking for," joke, then go watch another episode of American Idol, and forget about this movie.

Third, and most important, DO NOT TAKE THIS MOVIE SERIOUSLY! It is supposed to be a bit silly at times. No, it doesn't do stupid humor like Will Farrel movies, and no, it isn't sarcastic humor like an episode of the Daily Show. It is just good fun silliness, with a bunch of geeky references.

All right, for those of you who are still here, I'll just come out and say that this movie is 100% good, clean fun. I loved it! If you remember the short from Fantasia, with the enchanted mops, you're going to absolutely love when they recreate that scene. THEY EVEN HAVE THE MUSIC WITH IT! I literally died for a moment there.

Also, the explanation for how magic worked was awesome, as it lent the movie a bit of much needed plausibility. The idea that if you were able to use 100% of your brain you'd have strange powers is not new. I've seen similar ideas in other sci-fi movies and shows, most recently in Eureka, where a man's ability to use his entire brain gave him telekinetic and telepathic powers. Seeing the quasi-science method for explaining how magic works was very satisfying to my inner geek.

The magic battles are fun, especially when the heroes beat their foes through cleverness and strategy rather than through overwhelming power. At the end, when the Apprentice is fighting Morgana, he lays a trap for her, drawing her into the center of a jury-rigged Tesla coil, which allows him to destroy her.

Overall, I found it to be a fun movie that you could take the whole family to see, so long as you don't go in expecting Lord of the Rings. If you enjoyed the old Godzilla movies, you'll probably enjoy the Sorcerer's Apprentice.