Ever since I was a little boy I always wanted to be a magician. I would practice cheesy magic tricks in front of my parents, finding a coin in my ear, or pulling an endless supply of handkerchiefs from my hands, whenever I could. I would dream of wooing an audience with mystical illusions that only I knew the trick to. I don’t know if it was the actual magic itself or the fact that I knew something a lot of other people didn’t. Whatever the case, I have always loved magic. And unfortunately, in our day of the Internet and TiVo and YouTube, a lot of magic and illusions have been explained and published and exposed on TV specials entitled, “Magic’s Greatest Secrets Revealed 1-10.”
The Illusionist is a moody, atmospheric fairy tale, about one illusionist—Eisenheim, a fictional turn-of-the-last-century magician—being told by another, writer-director Neil Burger (Interview with the Assassin). Throughout the film the audience will learn truth about some of Eisenheim’s illusions, and some of Burger’s as well. While at first, the more skeptical viewers may see through the plot’s central illusion early on; but others may be as fooled as most of the characters. When it call comes down to it, though, The Illusionist succeeds: While the storytellers are at work, the spell holds.
It’s hard not to compare this movie with The Prestige, the other blockbuster “magic” movie that came out in 2006, and in doing so, I must say that I very much enjoyed The Illusionist over the latter. I felt that the story was more closely rooted in reality compared to that of the story of The Prestige. The story engaged me more and kept me guessing every step of the way, though not carrying me too far into the fantasy world where I dismissed it as an unbelievable cartoony adventure. I really felt connected to the characters and to the story. Their performances were enough based in reality, though a different reality than mine, that I sympathized and empathized with what they were going through. To me, movies that can make me care about the characters and what happens to them are movies that I feel have done their job.
Edward Norton is one of my favorite actors, I think underrated, and his enigmatic portrayal of “Eisenheim the Illusionist” really adds quality to an already excellent movie. Norton is the kind of actor that can appear in anything and raise its quality by a few notches. His smoldering glare and old-soul sensibilities blend well together for The Illusionist, and he makes the most of a messy situation. When Norton is on stage doing beautiful magic tricks like making an orange seed bloom into a tree, it’s truly mesmerizing and dazzling. The cinematography is eye-grabbing and mystical, like a mesh between Moulin Rouge and a childhood fairy tale. I loved the colors throughout the movie. I thought the sepia tones that filtered everything you saw added a subtle antiqueness to the movie.
The magic here is in more than just pulling off an illusion — it’s in making us forget that we know how it’s done. The Illusionist finds a magic middle ground where it could actually please everyone, where it’s just strange enough to electrify fans of the bizarre and just effortless enough to satisfy those who merely seek a diverting entertainment.
Content Warning: The Illusionist is rated PG-13 for a scene of strong but non-explicit sexuality and some violence, including an implied offscreen murder and an onscreen suicide.
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Donna
I reluctantly went to see this movie at first but as we like to go to a few smaller movies a year, I went along. But we were both pleasantly surprised by this one. We really liked it. I never really enjoyed Edward Norton that much until this movie and now I am a big fan of his and have been going back to watch some movies of his I dismissed earlier.
June 9, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Darin Harp
Watch Primal Fear, Rounders, or American History X and tell me that Ed Norton isn’t one of the best U.S. born actors out there…here’s to hoping that the new Hulk movie doesn’t make me regret writing this post.
June 10, 2008 at 6:46 am
Dan
I sincerely think, from what I have been reading, that it’s not going to make anyone regret anything about Norton. Early reviews tell of a movie that far outshines its predecessor in story and pace and characterization, and one that has a lot of fantastic special effects.
Just don’t walk into Hulk thinking you’re about to see a “Batman Begins”-esque Hulk.
June 10, 2008 at 6:58 am
Donna
I forgot about Primal Fear..it was an amazing movie..Edward had me going the whole time. I think I will check out the other 2 movies that Darin recommended.
June 10, 2008 at 7:31 am
Scotto
This was a great movie because from the title you should know that EVERYTHING you see in this movie is an Illusion. But so many people get caught up in the story they didnt realize wow, that was an illusion the whole. What the movie over and over and you will see moments in the movie where you would say…”Oh yeah…they showed us what was about to happen, but I didnt catch it.”
I thought this movie was brilliant! I am not a huge Ed Norton OR Jessica Biel fan, but this was a great movie on both their parts. I think a person that gets lost in this movie is Paul Giamatti. I think his role was a pivitol role and think he did fantastic at it!
If you havent seen this movie…watch it for nothing else to see how to grow and orange tree! That was a cool illusion!
June 10, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Dan
That is an awesome mini-review Scotto, you may have yourself a little career going on with mini-comment-reviews.
I agree that Paul Giamatti was lost in this movie. I think his role was great, but he was way out-acted by Norton and Biel, which in my opinion, is hard to do. He seemed a little awkward in his role and maybe it’s because he was concurrently filming “Lady in the Water” as he was filming this movie.
June 10, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Scotto
No you’re right…he was a supporting role for sure, but I was just commenting that he shouldnt get lost in the hubbub of honoring Norton/Biel for their roles!
June 11, 2008 at 8:19 am
Dan
No, I am saying that he WAS lost in the role. As much as I love Paul, he didn’t do enough for me to stand out from Norton or Biel, who I’m not a big fan of anyway.
June 11, 2008 at 9:09 am
Scotto
PG is a take it/leave it guy for me. Some movies I love him in and some…I’ll change the channel.
How’d you like the orange tree?
June 11, 2008 at 10:02 am
Dan
The orange tree was a wonderfully refreshing burst of color and creation in a movie that’s all about deception, illusion, and mystery. I really liked that that was the first illusion we were shown and that our first impression of Eisenheim was configured with the orange tree.
June 11, 2008 at 10:09 am
Darin Harp
Thanks guys, after reading all this invigorating discussion about the Illusionist, I’m now dying to see it again. I loved it but have forgotten enough about it that I’m going in for a second viewing.
Dan, I hope and think you are right about the Hulk – I need to wait to judge the new one on it’s own merits, not based off of the first one.
Also, I’d like to give a content warning about American History X – while it’s one of the most powerful movies about racism I’ve ever seen it is also incredibly gritty, edgy and pulls no punches. It is not for the sqeamish or faint of heart.
June 11, 2008 at 12:15 pm
johnny thunders
i really enjoyed this movie. i hated hated hated hated the prestige and was so pissed that it did better than the illusionist. the prestige was absolute trash, the story was a mess and didn’t even make sense and the “big twist” was absolutely retarded, but that’s kind of what i’ve come to expect from chris nolan.
i do think that david bowie as nikola tesla was a bit of inspired casting, though. he should make a movie as tesla.
but yeah, the illusionist was a really well told story and i thought it deserved a lot more “prestige” than it got.
i guess you could say that i felt that the prestige was the “deep impact” or “antz”.
June 20, 2008 at 9:29 pm