The Illusionist
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 20.09.06As my first official movie review on this site, I fear it’s been a week or two since the movie came out. And that long since I watched it as well! Alas, here goes.
(In reviewing this movie, I’m anxious to see The Prestige, being released soon. It also deals with magicians, has some great actors, and looks like it’s going to be every bit as incredible as this film!)
Opening with elegant titles over jerky sepia footage, The Illusionist sets up much like a historical film. While not historically factual to my knowledge, it takes the setting to heart with sumptuous sets, costuming, and a very rich palette of patently aged colours.
As introduction, we meet a young boy, a young girl, and the caste system that keeps them separated. While the film has a bit of political drama, quite a bit of mystery, and touches of fantasy, it’s clearly this relationship that drives the storyline.
Showing a wee bit of humour, the boy’s introduction to the magician’s art is treated as a myth, told and retold, and told again through the narrator. He meets along the roadside a wizened old man, who after showing him a trick or two under a large tree, disappears. “And in some stories, the tree disappears as well!” Thusly, Eisenheim the Illusionist is born.
Visually, the film is solid. Not too flashy, not to mundane, always richly lit, and the camera takes time to unfold each piece. The magician effects are sometime obvious, though only in the sense that it couldn’t have been practical. I’m sure the invisible effects are far more impressive, if I only picked them out (Prague may be the best “old europe” around right now, but there’s got to be a lot of digital city going on!). The few effects involving specters are quite nicely done; there were some really tricky shots where the stage sinks into complete blackness, so they’ve taken the time to add heat-like distortions and simmering vapor. While it was probably intended as a part of the spectral effect, it was also quite necessary to portray invisibility in a room where things were already invisible, hidden in deep shadows and flickering torches.
While expecting great things from both Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel did not raise my hopes for great cinema. Surprisingly, and with great relief, the acting all around was quite good. You can’t help but enjoy Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel shows up for surprisingly little (watch the film, you’ll understand).
Though not in the strict sense, there seem to be flavours of Shakespeare here; both in dramatic urgency and the more tragic overtones. A beautifully told story, nicely shot, and with some top notch actors, it’s not a movie you should miss!
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