Tonight was one of those night I had gone to the movies just because I wanted to, no specific title in mind. I get there, and The Illusionist, which I had heard nothing about except that it had been compared to The Prestige, as they were both about magic. I went not knowing what to expect, and for most of the movie, the plot seemed very linear and although it had many good parts, it was nothing amazing. And then (SPOILER ALERT)the ending started. At first I didn't understand what was going on, what the the Orange tree business meant. And then as the images started to flow, I started to understand. I'm majoring in movie directing, and I have an insight in some of the most used tricks in the business, and I usually catch on pretty fast. But here, the director was so good at hot and cold showers, I swallowed everything... line, hook, everything. He tells time and time again in the movie that it's all fake, it's a trick, it's nothing but that. And in the meantime he convinces you that you are witnessing real magic, that he's a sorcerer instead of a magician. But the trick is what the director pulls on the audience. When the titles started rolling nobody got up to leave. And I mean NOBODY. I was happy all the way to the car. Just glad to have been made a fool of, because really isn't that why we all go to the movies? To believe?
Review of The Illusionist
