Rated: PG-13
Adapted from The Last Apprentice, the first book in a series by Joseph Delaney, the film stars Jeff Bridges as Master Gregory, a knight who is all that stands between normal medieval life and a malevolent force intent upon bending the world to her will. She is evil shape-shifter Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore) set to gain immense power during the blood moon that will rise in seven days. Needing help, Gregory recruits youthful Tom Ward (Ben Barnes) because the youth is a seventh son of a seventh son, and has special powers. Born to a pig farmer and ignorant in the ways of combat, Ward receives a fast and dirty course in warfare from Gregory who also prepares Ward to resist Mother Malkin’s charms. Poorly executed special effects don’t do justice to the film’s numerous monsters, nor does its script that prevents both Bridges and Moore from creating credible characters. There goes the franchise!
