Magic shows and movies have a lot in common. Both require the audience to suspend their disbelief and become deeply involved in the production. Both require the actors to construct the scene convincingly and consistently. However, as in Neil Burger’s The Illusionist, if one aspect of the spectacle is lacking, the entire creation crumbles.
The film centers on a magician, Eisenheim (Edward Norton) who falls for an aristocrat, Sophie (Jessica Biel) in turn-of-the-century Vienna. Sophie is betrothed to Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), who, like all crown princes it seems, is a jealous sadistic prick prone to chewing scenery. With the help of his magical illusions, Norton uses his cunning (and one dinger of a twist ending) to win the woman he loves.
Known for really sinking his teeth into past roles in Primal Fear, American History X and, more recently, Down in the Valley, here, Edward Norton seems to let his goatee do most of the acting for him. That, along with a handful of intense stares and moody brow arches adds up to one disappointing cardboard performance.
Despite the sluggish pace, the wooden performances and a few misjudged, laughable accents, Paul Giamatti’s especially, the film is a pleasure to look at. The costumes, art direction and cinematography are beautiful. Filming the characters amid the glorious Austrian countryside and the cobblestone Viennese streets, the cinematography tries desperately to make up for the passion so desperately lacking in the plot, dialogue and main characters.
The film centers on a magician, Eisenheim (Edward Norton) who falls for an aristocrat, Sophie (Jessica Biel) in turn-of-the-century Vienna. Sophie is betrothed to Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), who, like all crown princes it seems, is a jealous sadistic prick prone to chewing scenery. With the help of his magical illusions, Norton uses his cunning (and one dinger of a twist ending) to win the woman he loves.
Known for really sinking his teeth into past roles in Primal Fear, American History X and, more recently, Down in the Valley, here, Edward Norton seems to let his goatee do most of the acting for him. That, along with a handful of intense stares and moody brow arches adds up to one disappointing cardboard performance.
Despite the sluggish pace, the wooden performances and a few misjudged, laughable accents, Paul Giamatti’s especially, the film is a pleasure to look at. The costumes, art direction and cinematography are beautiful. Filming the characters amid the glorious Austrian countryside and the cobblestone Viennese streets, the cinematography tries desperately to make up for the passion so desperately lacking in the plot, dialogue and main characters.
No comments:
Post a Comment