Saints be praised for whatever strange magic brought Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore together for their own little mini-“Big Lebowski” reunion, whether it was playfulness, paychecks or an open spot on their calendars. Because they save this mediocre medieval fantasy adventure from the ash heap.
Somewhere, Nicolas Cage is fuming, since his piddly medieval knight film, “Outcast,” also opens Friday. As for “Son,” the stars shine, but the special effects are strictly fantasy-film assembly line, with hardly a spark of inspiration.
In a plague-free Middle Ages, Master John Gregory (Bridges) is a “spook,” a knight who does exorcisms, rids the countryside of “ghasts” (ghosts) and battles shape-shifting witches.
Gregory is the last of his ancient order, once 1,000 strong. He takes on an apprentice, Tom (Ben Barnes), the obligatory seventh son of a seventh son. Together they hunt down Mother Malkin (Moore), a witch recently freed from the trap Gregory put her in decades before.
Tom has secrets that make him a liability and an asset. Gregory has mysteries of his own, which will be unearthed as the two fight giant monsters, six-armed swordsmen and witches who turn into dragons. Then Tom falls for a pretty “half-witch,” Alice (Alicia Vikander) — her father was mortal — a hurdle, since she is set to follow Malkin when the rare “blood moon” turns full.
Director Sergei Bodrov’s movie is based on a kids’ book in which Tom was a 12-year-old, and the actors wisely pitch their performances to a young crowd. Barnes (“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”) looks dewy and eager, despite a back story that might allow for a glint of mischief.
Wearing long black talons and a feathery dress Cher might have sported in 1985, Moore takes campy delight in lip-curling lines like, “Help yourself to the blood cakes, little one!” She’s fun in the same way Charlize Theron was in “Snow White and the Huntsman,” and Moore pops up just infrequently enough to avoiding wearing out her welcome.
Bridges is always welcome, despite how his growly, old-coot voice seems to be coming from inside his pointy, Don Quixote-style beard. Since winning a well-deserved Oscar for “Crazy Heart,” Bridges has grumbled his way through “True Grit,” “R.I.P.D.” and “The Giver.” “Grit” was great, but the others run the risk of making this beloved actor just a caricature of gentle-souled humanity. Not to mention that the once-and-forever Dude is only 65. He needs to break out of the codger spell.
jneumaier@nydailynews.com
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