The Illusionist.

If you are like me and first watched 'The Prestige' then you could be forgiven for being doubtful over this film, thinking that it would just be a film trying to be like it (or rather 'The Prestige' being like 'The Illusionist') and not managing to be as good as 'The Prestige', however, you would be a  much wiser person to watch both and then decide for yourself. A similar feel yet they should not be compared to each other.

If you look at the stellar cast of Ed Norton (Hulk, Fight Club, American History X), Rufus Sewell (A Knights Tale, The Tourist), Paul Giamatti (Donnie Brasco, My Best Friends wedding, The Truman Show) and Jessica Biel (The A-Team, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) then you will know that you are in for a treat. Set in Vienna, the beautiful scenery of Vienna is shown and enjoyed in the entire film.

Ed Norton one feels must steal the show with his performance of Eisenheim, the illusionist. A master plan has been cooked and is delivered to perfection. What this man has, what the performance has is swagger, emotion and yet sublime passion and intelligence. You can watch the entire film and then only put the pieces together at the end when the inspector (Paul Giamatti) is doing so as well. Once you see all the pieces you understand the film but you do have to keep watching- never take your eyes off of it because you don't know what you will miss. 

Paul Giamatti so almost stole the show. The heroic, loyal and yet somewhat overlooked and underrated contributions made by his character were worthy of an award in themselves. This wasn't a supporting role, it was as much a leading role as it was of a supporting role. Ever present and ever unfaltering when you thought that he lacked the nerve to do the boldest thing he stood up and did it. Together they were a perfect team ,with a common enemy in Rufus Sewell (well he's in a film, he had to be the baddy). If it hadn't have been for his weird eyes that give him away I would not have known that it was Rufus Sewell playing the role of the Crown Prince. The arrogance was there but not as much as we have seen in a few of his other displays. This character had a darker side to him but also was not the villain that he was made out to be. What he does need to be credited for though is a performance that brought the best out of the rest of the cast, they responded to him and united against him.

The question that we all must ask ourselves after seeing the end of the film is- how did he manage that?