Film Review: The Illusionist

[pandop]

Would have been , but was so dreadfully slow in the middle I contemplated leaving the cinema, and am almost certain I would have given up had it been on DVD or TV. The ending was excellent, but still doesn't quite make up for the utter tedium of the middle.

Edward Norton is good, but the film is really carried by Paul Giamatti as Inspector Uhl. I am still uncertain as to weather I liked Jessica Biel as Sophie or not - I think on the whole, I did. Rufus Sewell produces an appalling accent as Prince Leopold, and I do suspect that at one point early in the film he was strongly supressing a 'you haf ways of making him talk'. However, he does portray the Habsburg mental instability very well indeed.

I cannot fault the setting/costumes/art direction/look/etc of The Illusionist however, it is wonderfully atmospheric and worked extremely well with the plot. It is a visual treat at times (even though it does nothing to dispel my conviction that Prussian military uniforms are inherently comical)

Comments

[folo1.livejournal.com]

I was enthralled all the way through it, and so was my wife when she borrowed the DVD. But keep in mind that I thouhht "The New World" was great, and I've a lot of people say the same things about it.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

I didn't see The New World, so I can't really compare.

[sugar-spun.livejournal.com]

I didn't love it, but many films are spoiled for me by my tendency to look at the background and see the things they've not covered properly. Misbehaving extras and the like ... I felt it was a little obvious as well, very heavy-handed in the legerdemain. Very pretty though; I just think I preferred The Prestige.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Yes, very pretty, but I would agree, a bit heavy-handed.