The Illusionist (2005, Movie) – 6/10

Producer: Michael London Writer (Screenplay): Neil Burger Director: Neil Burger Edward Norton: Eisenheim Paul Giamatti: Inspector Uhl Jessica Biel: Sophie Rufus Sewell: Crown Prince Leopold Eddie Marsan: Josef Fischer Writer (Original Short Story) “Eisenheim the Illusionist”: Steven Millhauser

Illusionist, The (2005) Eisenheim the Illusionist returns to Vienna fifteen years after being separated from his first love: Sophie, a duchess out of his class and about to be married to the Crown Prince of Austria. Eisenheim and Sophie want to disappear together but that may be a trick even he can’t pull off. 6/10 Elegant, rather beautiful, ethereal magic-themed romantic drama which doesn’t stand up to any kind of scrutiny (for instance, our hero tricks an innocent man into killing himself). Norton is agreeably otherworldly and Giamatti does well in an archetype we don’t normally associate him with. Rufus Sewell seems to be more committed to the film than he usually appears. The production has the feeling of high quality but it undermines itself. Some of this due to the nature of portraying magic in a movie. The audience presumes everything is ‘done with ‘puters, innit.’ However, The Illusionist starts with an impossible locket (it’s clearly two different lockets; one that transforms, one that opens) and continues with illusions which feel like 21st-century special effects rather than the 19th-century illusions that they were (The Orange Tree, Pepper’s Ghost). The movie is, but is not, enhanced by CG. This movie contains adult dialogue and brief, graphic gun violence, unpleasant scenes and a sex scene. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance.