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Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel star in ’The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.’

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If toys, video games, comics and TV cartoon specials can serve as sources for Hollywood action flicks, why not Mickey Mouse?

Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” as “suggested by the animated short” of the same name starring Mickey, may not work any bedazzling magic, yet the family fantasy that reunites Cage with his “National Treasure” producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub stirs up a pleasant-enough potion.

Watchers will have to put up with Baruchel’s whiny voice, which seems to grow more nasally as he ages, but the often stodgy Cage has rediscovered his inner goof, hamming it up as a 1,500-year-old sorcerer who can claim Merlin the magician as a mentor.

The story, developed by a team of five writers from the Mickey Mouse short (part of Walt Disney’s 1940 collection “Fantasia” and itself inspired by a Goethe poem), essentially is a variation of the King Arthur Chosen One tale told with wizards.

A clunky narrated prologue lays out the conflict in more detail than parents or kids are likely to want. The gist of it: Back around the 8th century, Merlin had three apprentices, lovers Balthazar Blake (Cage) and Veronica (Monica Bellucci), and Maxim (Alfred Molina), who turned rotten and sided with evil sorceress Morgana (Alice Krige) in her attempt to raise dead wizards and end the world.

Balthazar manages to put a cork in it by trapping Maxim, Morgana and unfortunately Veronica in this thing called the Grimhold. It’s only a temporary fix, and Balthazar sets off on a quest to find the Prime Merlinian, the successor to Merlin’s power who can destroy Morgana for good.

Cut to present-day Manhattan, where Balthazar has found his boy in physics geek Dave Stutler (Baruchel). With Maxim newly freed and aiming to release Morgana from the Grimhold, Balthazar’s on a tight deadline to train klutzy Dave in the tricks of the sorcery trade he’ll need to take down the baddies.

The effects and action are fine but mostly unremarkable.

Baruchel’s twangy voice aside, he and Cage forge an engaging student-teacher relationship, while Molina’s dapper villain routine adds some class.

Are there big laughs and great action in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?” No, but it’s a fairly fun time for families, and Hollywood can — and continually does — build franchises out of far worse concoctions than this.

What: “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Alice Krige

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub

Rated: PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief language

Running time: 110 minutes

1/2