You'll enjoy slapping yourself

Rating: Null/10 (28 March 2007)

"The Illusionist" (2006): With good acting, stylish photography harking back to another era, a film score that's moody and effective (by Philip Glass doing what he DOES do well), and a plot that only gets more and more interesting as it goes along. This is one good piece of entertainment. Is it a "morality" tale? Barely. It's a romance and a crime mystery. It has political intrigue, good and bad guys, and plenty of tricks up its sleeves. You will NOT see the complexity as it builds, partly due to its not being available, but partly because it's slipped to you just a little at a time, and not in ways that calls attention to itself. Fortunately, the web of deceit is reviewed by a former foe at the end, and you'll enjoy slapping your forehead right along with him.