Burger's 'Illusionist' confounding, yet compelling

Rating: 7/10 (15 August 2006)

This independent release (Yari Films) is lovely to behold, with soft cinematography, lush landscapes and wonderful acting; all of which makes up for the average love/revenge story and a half-hearted attempt to be a latter-day "Usual Suspects." That being written, however, I did enjoy the viewing experience, and believe most thinking film-goers will also.
Based on a short story, "Eisenhiem, The Illusionist," by Steven Millhauser, the movie does wrap itself around you, creating a shroud of mystery that could easily be mistaken for confusion to the casual observer.
Edward Norton ("Fight Club," "The Italian Job") plays the title role,a gifted magician (during the reign of the Habsburgs in Austro-Hungary) who falls in love with a girl, Sophia (Jennifer Biel), many steps above him socially. When the parents force them apart, he goes off and hones his craft, traveling the world, seeking the ultimate mystery. He entertains crowds with a brilliant, but lightweight magic show, making enough money to live well, but secretly longs for his unrequited love.
Later, while performing in Veinna, he sees Sophie again, although this time she's engaged to the nasty Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell, "Tristan + Isolde," "The Legend Of Zorro"), who gives a new twist to 19th century domestic violence. The two lovers, despite the danger involved, continue their torrid love affair from where they left off, but Leopold's spies, including the spineless police inspector, Uhl (Paul Giamatti, "Lady in the Water," a voice in "The Ant Bully"), watch her every move.
When the prince murders her while in a drunken rage, Eisenheim changes his act. Instead of making doves appear or pulling rabbits out of hats, he is seemingly able to produce the spirits of departed individuals to the astonished patrons. These are genuinely creepy scenes, and much more spine-tingling than the garbage coming out films like "Descent" or "Pulse." On a night in which Leopold shows up (in disguise), Eisenheim even conjures up the disembodied ghost of Sophie, who all but accuses the prince of murder.
Incensed at the accusations and public ridicule they are bringing, Leopold orders the magician arrested; but when the constabulary closes in, the crafty Eisenheim has other plans, promptly disappearing before their eyes. Like the headliner's act, however, all is not what it seems. Director Neil Burger ("Interview With An Assassin") throws us a little twist, with no small thanks to Bryan Singer, but that little diversion does not ruin the film, for me at least. It's just not that much of a surprise when you think about it.
Acting, especially Norton, Sewell and Giamatti, is top-notch, while even Beil (I had my doubts, just watch "Seventh Heaven" or "Stealth") did not disappoint. The lensing by Dick Pope ("Nicholas Nickelby," "Vera Drake") is exceptional and, as a period piece, it is extremely well-done with great attention paid to detail (I mean who couldn't enjoy a movie dealing with the intrigues of Austrian Emperor Franz Josef's gaggle of inbred idiotic offspring?).
The best of that genre since Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux in the 1937 classic, "Mayerling."