Commentary by writer/director Neil Burger, "Making of The Illusionist, Jessica Biel on The Illusionist, theatrical trailer

Rating: PG-13 for violence and some sexual content

Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century Vienna "The Illusionist" uses slight-of-hand story telling and is a visually stunning treat. Magician Eisenheim (Edward Norton) returns to Vienna after wandering the world learning the tricks of his trade. His magic dazzles people but a former romance with the crown prince of Vienna's (Rufus Sewell) fiancée Sophie (Jessica Biel) threatens to derail his career when Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti in a stunning performance) is charged with arresting him or running him out of the city. ***

A marvelous period piece that uses the world of magic as its backdrop, "The Illusionist" is a superior romantic-mystery-thriller. Director Neil Burger sprinkles his many clues to the climatic conclusion throughout the film. Many film fans will figure out the ending long before the grand finale but that doesn't detract from the deft slight-of-hand that Burger and his top notch cast display in this rich, involving mystery-thriller. ---

Image & Sound:

A note about the DVD review. The screener copy sent out by Fox wasn't received in time for this review so this is a review of the actual final product. The reason I mention this is that, in the past, Fox has sent out screeners that are of poor quality. They are usually burned copies that can't compare to the dual layered final versions sent out. I'd suggest that Fox discontinue this practice as reviewers can't give an objective opinion of the product and their opinions may influence viewers NOT to buy the product. ***

Director Neil Burger has created a marvelous period piece with an intriguing romantic thriller at the heart of this film. The beautiful cinematography and Phillip Glass' marvelous score are wonderfully recreated on this sharp looking DVD. The sepia toned colors are warm and rich looking with deep, rich blacks and an extraordinarily sharp, crisp transfer. ***

The audio likewise receives the same love and care of the visual half of the film. The 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround mix actively envelopes the audience with nicely placed sound effects and ambient textures appearing in each channel. Phillip Glass' marvelous score sounds terrific here with remarkably depth and hardly a hint of compression. Overall this is a superb transfer ---

Fans expecting a wealth of magical special features will be disappointed by the paltry ones included here. I suspect that there will probably be a special edition down the road, because considering the magic the film produces, there's a lot more that could be discussed/shown. We get a 9 minute featurette with the cast and crew discussing how enticed they were with the material. There's also an interview with Jessica Biel discussing the film (which is an extension of the interview featured in the making of featurette on the film). The best special feature is the running commentary by director Neil Burger (sadly Giamatti, Norton and Biel are missing from the commentary track). Burger discusses his opinions of the actors (he was surprised and impressed with what Biel brought to her performance and points out the little touches that Norton & Giamatti introduced to their characters to bring added depth)to the magic tricks seen in the film whether they be "real" magic or CGI magic. It's an interesting commentary track but I'd watch the film first all the way through as there are spoilers in the commentary track. ---

Final Words:

"The Illusionist" was a pleasant surprise with its strong performances and deft direction by Neil Burger. I should warn fans of fast paced action thrillers that this film takes its time in uncoiling the story but the pacing works for the film. ***

While there are many who insist on comparing "The Illusionist" and "The Prestige" (the other movie set against the background of magic) the only thing they share in common is a mystery and the magic. In "The Illusionist" the magic background is used for a romantic mystery-thriller while "The Prestige" uses the same backdrop for a tale of obsession, rivalry and revenge. Beyond that the films have little in common (including the way the stories are told). Comparing the two is like comparing the flavor of an orange and a tangerine--they're both fruit, both citrus but both have their own unique flavor. Sure some people will prefer one to the other but that doesn't mean one is inherently superior to the other--it depends on one's preference.