In a fantasy world of sorcery and dragons, will a hot young guy fulfill his destiny to protect the innocent or fall for a young witch? Check out Kidzworld’s review of Seventh Son.
By: Lynn Barker
Young pig farmer Tom Ward sees weird future visions of sorcery and is whisked away by an old knight who expects the pre-destined seventh son of a seventh son to be his last apprentice. Let’s see, feed pigs all day or fight dragons and rescue maidens? Tom is in!
Tom (Ben Barnes) leaves home on his questCourtesy of Universal
What’s Gone Before
A knight atop a high mountain has trapped something with a female voice in a huge cage buried in the earth. Later, we see elderly witch-hunting knight Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) seemingly old and harmless, kicking major butt in a tavern. “Game of Thrones” cutie Kit Harington is Gregory’s apprentice Billy and they travel the countryside, fighting sorcery and all kinds of evil. When Billy is killed, Gregory searches for the next “seventh son of a seventh son” supposed to have powers and be pre-destined to fight at his side.
Gregory (Jeff Bridges) and Tom (Ben Barnes) on their questCourtesy of Universal
Meanwhile on the Farm
Young Tom Ward (Ben Barnes who played Prince Caspian) slops the pigs on his family farm, has strange visions of weird, magical goings-on and hopes for better things when Gregory arrives, slaps down a bag of gold and literally “buys” him away as an apprentice “Spook”, a person destined to fight evil witchcraft and the like. Tom’s mom (Olivia Williams) gives him a necklace with a mysterious stone set in it and tells him to always wear it.
Tom's beautiful mom (Olivia Williams)Courtesy of Universal
The Challenge
Seems that a very long time ago, Gregory imprisoned a powerful sorceress named Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore) but she has broken free and can take dragon form. Her powers will be at their zenith when a blood moon rises in a few short weeks. She will summon all of her shapeshifting witchy cohorts and, together they will claim earth for the dark side.
Evil witch queen Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore)Courtesy of Universal
On the Quest
On the way to vanquish Mother Malkin at her castle, Tom is still reluctant to kill shapeshifter witches he and Gregory come across especially when he meets pretty young half witch Alice (Swedish actress Alicia Vikander) and falls for her. She thinks they are destined for each other but keeps disappearing (literally). Her mom turns out to be the witchy sis of Mother Malkin. Are she and her daughter good or evil?
Tom (Ben Barnes) with his witchy love Alice (Alicia Vikander)Courtesy of Universal
Final Showdown
After learning a secret his mother kept from him and using the magical necklace she gave him to fight his way through a catwoman, a multi-armed sword fighter, a giant were-bear and other enchanted critters, apprentice Tom with Spook Gregory reaches his final battle with the queen witch Malkin. Will Alice fight at their side or team with the dark witches? Will Tom ride on as the new chief witch-hunter or inherit Gregory’s lair and live a semi-“normal” life?
Tom (Ben Barnes) gets ready for swordplayCourtesy of Universal
Wrapping Up
Seventh Son is loosely based on the novel “The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch in America” by Joseph Delaney. We saw it in IMAX 3-D which tacked on in post-production and it’s okay but not really needed. The basic story seems solid but the film bogs down in backstory and slow apprentice training only to get going in the second half. At least, unlike the current movie Jupiter Ascending, the character relationship between the two lead good guys is a little more developed.
Tom and Master Gregory face Tom's first battleCourtesy of Universal
Jeff Bridges as elderly but still feisty Master Gregory provides most of the funny lines in the movie but his weird semi-western combined with a growling old guy accent is not a great choice and, at least when you first hear it, almost laughable. Captain Jack Sparrow spoke with a weird semi-drunk accent but, for Johnny Depp, it worked. Ben Barnes is earnest enough to root for as Tom and he and pretty actress Alicia Vikander make a cute couple. Julianne Moore usually plays good guy characters based in reality. Her turn as a version of Maleficent seems miscast.
There is nothing original about the movie. You’ve seen or read it all before but if you love sword and sorcery stories or games, like to see action with many colorful and weird shapeshifting creatures doing the fighting, dig dragons and like to root for cute good guys with a little romance on the side, you might enjoy Seventh Son. We go 3 stars.
Seventh Son Movie Rating:
Seventh Son Movie PosterCourtesy of Universal
Seventh Son is in theaters now!
