Illusionist, The
(c) AJMalouin 2007
(Rating: 6 by Al and 8 by Caryl)
(2006/Czech Republic/USA. Directed by Neil Burger) (1 hr 45. Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and violence.)
Clop-clattering of horses and riders through darkdeepening woods! Curtain-drawn carriages of a street rendezvous! Romance! Murder! Political intrigue! Betrayal! It’s all here (“…and much more!”)
It all happens in “The Illusionist,” but without the rapidity or urgency that exclamation points suggest. (!) Though some may find the pacing a tad slow, this is a totally satisfying costume period piece, in the best possible senses of all those usually faint-praisering words.
An appreciation for the art of illusion is at the heart of this totally stunning, completely rewarding film. The illusions— pulled, either on-stage and in the palace of the Crown Prince— are mesmerizing. The ones early in the film are magical and delightful. Those further on, as the plot thickens, are more dark and sinister. Caryl and Al guarantee, however, that every single one of the performance illusions will hold your attention.
As with any great artist, however, the art doesn’t end when the artist goes home. The “real-life” illusions which take place in the other palaces, country estates, train stations and horse-drawn carriages of 1900s Vienna are even more stunning than those of the on-stage variety.
Our story? Two children spend their childhood playing together. One is the son of a cabinetmaker; the other is a royal princess. They are psychologically and literally pulled apart by people who are supposed to know better than they do what it is that a princess should be doing. The two children always find ways to meet clandestinely, however.
One day, while he is out walking, the boy meets a Magician who is sitting under a tree. The Magician shows the boy an illusion, then disappears (as does the tree!)
Time passes and the boy begins to amuse the girl by showing her sleight-of-hand tricks he is now learning as a young magician. A bit later, however, the girl and boy are pulled apart for what “seems” to be the last time. The young boy magician then disappears (as in “leaves town on foot”) for what seems like forever.
During that time he travels the world learning the art of illusion, and perhaps finally masters that art— through mysterious contacts he makes in The Orient.
After 15 years, the (now) young man suddenly reappears (this time by passenger train) in Vienna and begins putting on theatre performances which amaze Royalty and paupers alike. At one such performance, the princess (now grown into a full-tilt Jessica Biel!) visits on the arm of the infamous Crown Prince. He volunteers her to go up on stage to assist in an illusion — and from there the plot thickens deliciously.
Paul Giamatti as Chief Inspector Uhl, Edward Norton as the illusionist Eisenheim, and Rufus Sewell as Crown Prince Leopold all turn in amazing performances. From an acting standpoint, the relationship between these three is one of the best interactions you are going to encounter during the next reasonable period of time.
Giamatti/Uhl is the seemingly fawning and subservient pawn of Crown Prince Leopold. As Chief Inspector, however, he is also a police watchdog who is amazed and delighted while watching Eisenheim perform his illusions. In Eisenhiem, Chief Inspector Uhl recognizes a master at the peak of his game.
Edward Norton is perfect as the illusionist. He is quiet, self-assured, talented, and capable of holding the entire room — and that includes those of you at home— under his spell.
Rufus Sewell, as Crown Prince Leopold, is the perfect personification of the aristocrat who goes bad and stays there. Courtly yet sinister, he seems the offspring of royal cousins breeding in the drawing rooms— of snarling silver wolves copulating in tangled Austrian forests beyond the warm lights of the palace.
The way in which our story entwines the Crown Prince, the Chief Inspector and the illusionist is the perfect blending of politics, romance and murdering mayhem. The illusionist controls Real Life in just the way he controls a stage performance. The Crown Prince delivers a not-unsympathetic portrayal of how the best life can go terribly wrong (and how the thought of absolute power can corrupt absolutely. The Chief Inspector investigates the scenario, and puts together allllll the pieces. (When the true nature of Vienna’s Real Life Illusion dawns on Giamatti, the revelation washes over his face like the summer sunrise over the Adriatic. His performance is truly something in which to delight and revel.)
Jessica Biel, as Sophie, OTOH, seems just slightly perplexed through the length of the entire adventure— it being a period costume piece and she being more of a flashing sweating ripped sweater. The teenage boys who come to this rental looking for the usual Beilian approach to the material will be sorely disappointed before getting sucked deeply into the story. Sophie’s personality gives us No Clue as to why she would be so deeply loved by two of these other three main characters. (It must be that Eye Candy was enough for some people, even in 1900s Vienna.)
“The Illusionist” is well done throughout in all categories.
Caryl found the early going in “The Illusionist” to be a bit slow. Al, OTOH, was from the beginning totally mesmerized by castles, costume, action and art direction. At the end of the day, moreover, both of them declared “The Illusionist” to be delicious. Don’t miss renting it, now that you can!!!