Brilliant Illusions

Rating: 9/10 (16 August 2007)

"The Illusonist" is a great love story with a touch of real magic. The young Eisenhaim has a gift. He can do mysterious things with his mind. He is in love with a forbidden fruit. Young hearts can't be together because of their different status. Kids are separated. But that isn't enough to kill the powerful emotion.
Eisemhaim (brilliant Edward Norton) is very successful magician. He amazes people with his amazing talent. But everybody aren't so amazed by Eisenhaim's illusions. The crown prince Leopold (high quality villain role champion Rufus Sewell) doesn't like the illusionist's tricks and wants to reveal impostor. A witty detective Uhl is soon investigating Eisenhaim's every move. From then the ultimate battle between Eisenhaim and prince accelerates. Soon they're rapped up with passion, jealously and deception, and first and foremost illusions.
The visual world of "The Illusonist" is one of the best features of the movie. The world is painted like an old photograph. The movie is very beautiful.
Edward Norton makes an impressive role for addition to his previous, glorious merit list (Fight Club, American History X). Paul Giamatti fits nicely into the role of a little suppressed but intelligent detective. Jessica Biehl and Rufus Sewell put all the puzzle parts together.
It was little odd that two magician-movies, "The Illusonist" and "The Prestige" were released in a such brief time between. Both of the movies are different even though they have same kind of themes. It was very surprising how good the both were.
Who tricks who in this drama-thriller where nothing is what it seems...