The art of illusion is limitless, one cannot rely on intellect to comprehend its mysteries.

Rating: 9/10 (1 November 2013)

Neil Burger's adaptation of Steven Millhauser's short story, "Eisenheim the Illusionist", is a delight for the senses. Often a rarity in modern filmmaking, Burger is able to engage the intellect, the sight, the sound, and the emotion in this film. The theme can be viewed as nothing is always as it seems meets true love will always find a way. For the purpose of this review and in order not to have a spoiler, I will focus on the former rather than the latter.
Eduard Abramovich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) was a cabinet maker's son, who by chance came upon a magician one day. The magician intrigued the boy immensely; so much so, that he devoted all of his time from that day on to learning the art of magic and illusion. He falls in love with a rich duchess named Sophie Von Teschen (Eleanor Tomlinson), but there young love is forbidden. She is bound by family duty, he is bound by her heart. They are torn apart, but not before he makes her a secret token of his affection. For 15 years, he travels afar in search of great mysteries, only to return with a new name and a mastery of the art of illusion. Eduard is now Herr Eisenheim (Edward Norton) and is performing in Vienna, Austria. Dutchess Von Teschen (Jessica Biel) is now in the company of the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), plotting to overthrow his father, the Emperor, and take the throne. Eisenheim performs at a local theater where the Crown Prince volunteers Sophie for a demonstration. As she takes the stage, Sophie and Eisenheim are entranced but for a moment; both in awe, but undeniably covered in a blanket of familiarity of times that transcend the lack of words that fail to reach their lips. At that moment, it is as if the spark that had dimmed from their childhood love had become ablaze once more. The Crown Prince does not like not knowing how the performances are explained and he is jealous of Eisenheim's popularity. He sets Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti) on a mission to shut Eisenheim down, promising him promotions to Chief of Police or Mayor of Vienna when he is Emperor. Uhl, however, is impressed by Eisenheim's abilities and feels he is of no real threat to anyone. Uhl succumbs to Prince Leopold's wishes, but ultimately has to decide between promotion and ethics.
One thing is to be remembered, in an illusion, nothing is as it seems. This theme is recurrent throughout the film. From the interactions between the characters, to what you come to think you can expect from them, you are surprised at every turn. There are no stereotypical performances from this star-studded cast. The chemistry between Edward Norton and Jessica Biel is nothing short of convincing. Norton shows such concentration, conviction, and devotion. He was believably Eisenheim and as whom, supported the theme by being completely unpredictable. His facial expressions and body language made me believe he internalized everything and one never knew what he was truly thinking. Biel, Giamatti, and Sewell were unpredictable in imperative scenes as well. I truly cannot imagine any other actors in these roles. They gave stellar performances. They deserve much more credit than I have time to give.
The lighting, filters, film structure, and camera angles all played important roles as well. Most of the lighting was rich and warm. It gave the feeling of romance and comfort. The only time I recall it being very different is in scenes at the Crown Prince's home. The lighting seemed brighter, seemingly making the Prince seem harsher. The film's non-linear structure intensifies the engagement of the viewer's intellect. It pulls you deeper into the film. Going deeper proves to enhance the emotional connection, along with the visual and auditory stimulation. There are a lot of flashbacks in the beginning, in which the camera operator uses a technique that darkens the four corners of the screen, comparable to an old photograph.
The Illusionist (Burger, 2006) is one of those movies that I have seen multiple times and will watch many more times over. Its theme is universal: it will always apply to viewers. Being that it has a little bit of everything in it: romance, thriller, and mystery; I think that it will attract and be enjoyed by many different types of viewers.