Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Illusionist
(2006)

RATING: 60%
FORMAT: DVD

Clever love story coupled with political revenge that would have worked better if there had been any palpable on-screen chemistry between the two leads. The implications of the supernatural are not played-up enough despite the eerie cinematography and the depiction of a political scene marred by a morally-corrupt crown prince is not explored in any real depth. The characterization is reasonable, but leaves too many questions unanswered and - therefore - renders audience identification harder than it could otherwise have been.

A pleasing enough thriller, but this movie really cannot decide what it wants to be and so ends up being less than the sum of its many sumptuous, stylish and overly-plotted parts. This is a pity because although an intriguing period mystery, with supernatural leanings, it ultimately affirms the primacy of reality - as the illusionism of cinema itself does. About on a par with The Prestige.


Copyright © 2011 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.

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Science:



No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.



Jacob Bronowski… (1908 - 74), British scientist, author. Encounter (London, July 1971).


Sleep of Reason:



The dream of reason produces monsters. Imagination deserted by reason creates impossible, useless thoughts. United with reason, imagination is the mother of all art and the source of all its beauty.



Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes… (1746-1828), Spanish painter. Caption to Caprichos, number 43, a series of eighty etchings completed in 1798, satirical and grotesque in form.


Humans & Aliens:



I am human and let nothing human be alien to me.



Terence… (circa 190-159 BC), Roman dramatist. Chremes, in The Self-Tormentor [Heauton Timorumenos], act 1, scene 1.


Führerprinzip:



One leader, one people, signifies one master and millions of slaves… There is no organ of conciliation or mediation interposed between the leader and the people, nothing in fact but the apparatus - in other words, the party - which is the emanation of the leader and the tool of his will to oppress. In this way the first and sole principle of this degraded form of mysticism is born, the Führerprinzip, which restores idolatry and a debased deity to the world of nihilism.