Overdone

Rating: 7/10 (10 July 2007)

It's impossible not to compare this film to The Prestige. In my comment for that film I said that it reminded me of The Usual Suspects in a way, which was a good thing since that is one of my favorite films. So when I finally got around to seeing The Illusionist today, I was sort of stunned to see that this movie was actually trying to be like The Usual Suspects. I wish I could split-screen Chazz Palmintieri and Paul Giamatti's final scenes just to prove it to you.
This movie was okay. The acting was overdone at times. The plot was pretty obvious. Where Suspects left clues you didn't know were clues, the Illusionist leaves honking blatant clues. A blinking red arrow would have only been a little less subtle. I actually wonder how I would have felt about this movie if I hadn't seen The Prestige first. I didn't actually think they'd be as similar as they were in terms of the plot. It's interesting because in both cases you have a vendetta of sorts based around a woman. Here it's romantic silliness, there it's a battle of wills. And also in both films you have two great actors squaring off, but in that one you were blown away by the charisma duel between Bale and Jackman. Here you kinda realize that Giamatti and Norton are much better at being average Joes. They're not so flashy and neither is this film. I enjoy flashy films, maybe if you don't, you'll like this one better.
Having said all that it's not really bad. I don't think it should be avoided by any means. And if you like illusions I'd suggest seeing both films and deciding which you like better. I do think years from now The Prestige will be the "classic" and The Illusionist will be "the other one".