(USA) Disney’s latest extravaganza takes its title from that classic segment in Fantasia (1940). In it, Mickey Mouse borrows the wizard’s hat to cast a spell on brooms and buckets but conjures up an epic flood instead. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice may pay homage to its source, but only some of the magic was captured. Made by the same team behind the National Treasure franchise—producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turteltaub and leading man Nicolas Cage—this film caters to every family blockbuster cliché.

Set in present-day New York, sorcerer Balthazar (the reliable Cage) takes physics nerd and Merlin’s heir Dave (Jay Baruchel, She’s Out of My League) under his wing. But Dave’s more interested in using magic to pursue his childhood love interest Becky (Teresa Palmer). Against them is the eeevil Maxim (a perfectly sneering Alfred Molina), who seeks to unleash the forces of doom. And scheming with him is Drake Stone, a Criss Angel-like showbiz magician played to perfection by Toby Kebbell (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) in high-heel boots.

It’s a good thing that The Sorcerer’s Apprentice doesn’t take itself seriously. It maintains a quick clip and spares us any half-assed attempts at characterization. So enjoy the visual spectacle that it is and have a few laughs along the way.