The Illusionist is a Must See
Starring Edward Norton (Fight Club), Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man) and Jessica Biel (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), The Illusionist is a clever and mysterious tale of a magician whose gift may or may not be real contending with an evil Vienna prince for the love of a woman.
Chief Inspector Uhl (Giamatti) investigates the history and the abilities of a magician in a turn-of-the-century Vienna, and discovers that this man may be too clever for him. He researches the magician, Eisenheim the Illusionist’s past. With his narration we’re shown the man as a child, running into an old man sitting on the side of the road. The old man shows this young Eisenheim some remarkable tricks, and simply disappears. The young Edward/ Eisenheim then starts becoming more and more fascinated with magic. He teaches himself some neat tricks, but catches sight of a lovely young girl.
Edward and the young Sophie grow close but are quickly torn apart by their social standing; him being a peasant and her being royalty. When we see Eisenheim again, he’s a much older man. Edward Norton plays this dark and mysterious magician in one of his finest performances to date. After a long journey across the world, Eisenheim has found himself back where it all began. He’s performing for audiences in Vienna, and blowing their minds with unbelievable feats of magic.
The evil Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell; Dark City) attends one of Edward’s performances. Just by chance, Sophie (Biel) – now a grown woman is requested to join Eisenheim on stage of one very spectacular trick. They almost immediately recognize each other. The love they shared for each other in their younger years is rekindled once again. But with Chief Inspector Uhl’s assistance, Leopold discovers them, and does everything in his power to try and tear them apart.
The Illusionist is one of the top films this year. The film’s unique image quality enhances the illusion that its set in the turn of the century, looking something out of an old nickelodeon. The story – taken from a short story, written and directed by Neil Burger is masterfully crafted to twist and keep the audience sharp, and on their toes. The performances of Giamatti and Biel are top-notch. There hasn’t been a more rewarded moviegoing experience so far this year.
If you want a clever drama, a mystical escape and some well-made fun, The Illusionist is perfect. If you want a wild, crazy and provocative mystery, there’s nothing better out in theatres than The Illusionist. This film is a must-see – if not for all of its brilliance, at least for the magic.
