Not particularly bad, but there just isn't much to it

Rating: 4/10 (14 January 2007)

"The Illusionist" looked like it had promise coming in. It had a loaded cast of not just stars but talented stars headed by Paul Giamatti and Edward Norton but even continuing on to Rufus Sewell. It had the second-best film composer alive, Philip Glass, writing the score. It sounded like it could be a fun tale of intrigue surrounding a stage magician. The only real worrisome part (admittedly a very large one) was screenwriter/director Neil Burger, who had only a faux documentary that didn't do well with critics or the public to his credit. Burger brought down the rest of the elements to make the film a middling mess.
The film's script is an issue because it pulls an unwanted sleight of hand, changing the film from a mystery a la "The Prestige" (which is how the commercials and trailer made it appear) into a very slight and trite period romance. Even the mystery element to the plot is loaded with thievery from earlier films, most notably from Carol Reed's "The Third Man," which makes it far more predictable and thus less exciting than it seems it should be. The dialogue is also oblique and stilted. Even beyond these problems, the characterization is very poor, with no character ever really being fleshed out and no character showing ANY arc whatsoever.
That last script issue is the main problem with the acting, which is competent but in parts that require so little cannot be impressive. Some of the casting is also questionable, such as placing Jessica Biel in the position of the beautiful rich countess, but not bad enough to be truly damaging. Paul Giamatti's accent is also an issue, as it seems to fade in and out throughout the film.
Appropriately enough for a film that is so contrived and unoriginal, Philip Glass's score is loaded with retreads of his brilliant earlier work, most notably "Powaqqatsi" and "The Hours." It's still effective music, and none of it isn't at least reorchestrated, but for someone who knows Glass's earlier work it is a disappointment at least.
This leaves Burger's direction, which is uninspired. The film simply doesn't look any different from any other period romance of the same time, save perhaps for the embarrassingly silly effects during the performances. The editing is generally standard, slowing down for the more "romantic" moments and speeding up for the higher-tension moments. However, some of the decisions are so appalling that they make one question Burger's mental capacity. For example, the opening scene shows Giamatti speaking to Rufus Sewell about the results of the manhunt for Edward Norton--then later we see the manhunt. Though there is a twist involved here, one cannot be interested in the search when we've been told the result. The editing does its best to heighten the search's tension, but it can't overcome the basic issue.
Overall, "The Illusionist" is maddening because of its lost potential, and the muddled final product isn't terrible. If you're interested in seeing a period romance with an above-average cast and a few special effects, this film is for you. Otherwise, the film isn't really worth the time and money.