Magically Beautiful and Romantic

Rating: 10/10 (10 May 2007)

Films like these are why I go to the movies. The Illusionist is a lovely fantasy with lots of magic tricks. It plays on the mythical theme of forbidden love and sets the stage in Victorian Europe.
There's some creative photography work from the beginning that will transport the watcher into another world beyond the mundane. I liked the chemistry between Norton and Biel. They definitely showed the passion of trying to hide their love from onlookers. The lovers are plagued with the world working against. Tons of problems get in their way such as arranged marriage, different classes, high-profile lives, police scrutiny and murder which makes it impossible to declare their love, much less get a moment together.
Giamatti plays the inspector who's fascinated by magic and tries to makes sense out of seemingly supernatural events. Although you see some of the action from the lovers' points of view, the story is very much told through Giamatti's observations.
If you like romance and the 19th century, you will love The Illusionist. I saw The Prestige around the same time which I found to be dark, brooding, and ugly (it was very disappointing). The Illusionist was everything I hoped the Prestige was going to be and more. I initially got turned off from seeing the Illusionist because reviews said the leads had no chemistry and there wasn't much of a mystery. I completely disagree. The Illusionist is a lovely film that uses magic for beauty, not for evil.