Master and Apprentice relationship = old cliche

I am not saying that the film didn't have an interesting plot etc, but actually watching it I cannot help but feeling that a major part of the film is just filler stuff. The Apprentice/Master relationship is just such a worn out cliche. I could attack a lot of other films about for the same reason, but it just seems so pointless to ruin this particular film with such worn out stuff. The film also had hours of sessions where people partake in the other film cliche of "dark underground rituals". Who cares about this stuff anymore? The story could have done well without both.