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The Illusionist

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The Illusionist

PG-13

Released Sep 1, 2006

1h 50m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

194 Reviews

83%

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250,000+ Ratings

A master magician named Eisenheim (Edward Norton) vies with Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell) of Vienna for the hand of noblewoman Sophie (Jessica Biel), the girl he once loved. He brings his considerable powers to bear on the prince, as she is about to be named royal fiancee. However, a police inspector named Uhl (Paul Giamatti) tries to warn Eisenheim that he is playing a very dangerous game.

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Critics Consensus

The Illusionist is an engrossing, well-crafted story of mystery, magic and intrigue that is certain to enchant, if not hypnotize, audiences.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

So, in short? Well, the scenery is very pleasant and this film would kill a couple of hours on a plane. But I don't think I'd advise schlepping to the cinema rather than, say, staying at home for a nap then a bit of cheese.

Jan 30, 2018

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B

Feb 18, 2012

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Brian Tallerico

UGO

Despite its two strong lead performances and terrific visual verve, The Illusionist ends up as a great example of an overly ambitious movie that's not quite sure what it wants to be.

Mar 24, 2007

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

The Illusionist is an attractively done piece of work, that leaves a relatively small impression.

Feb 14, 2021

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

The Illusionist is a deceptively simple yet magical cinematic experience.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 11, 2020

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Kathi Maio

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

The legerdemain of The Illusionist is done with more finesse...it is that feeling of elation that makes it magic.

Feb 28, 2020

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Christina A

Quite good. Top notch performance from Paul Giamatti. I understand the tricks were supposed to come across as Fantastical and that's what made Eisenheim appealing. Other than that, the movie does well immersing the viewer into the time period with beautifully shot scenes as well as the music score. A worthy watch for sure!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/04/25

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David B

This film is beautifully filmed and has a magic quality about it . The only part of it that didn't sit well with me is that the illusions were not at all possible . The orange tree and the young boy walking through the theatre just couldn't have been done . I would have enjoyed seeing real life ' illusions ' that would have grounded the film in reality . However , it is a very wonderful film with a perfect cast and wonderful direction

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/24/25

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Kyle C

I’m kind of a sucker for magician movies for some reason. There’s something about the mystery and the intrigue of it all, knowing that there’s eventually gonna be a big reveal with a smug, look-how-smart-I-am attitude while the audiences, both at the real-life cinema and within the film, stare in amazement. I’ll say that this was not my favorite magician movie (The Prestige holds that, well, prestige) but it’s still pretty good. Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti provide most of the charm, though Rufus Sewell provides a nice change of pace with his arrogance and outbursts. The mystery isn’t crafted quite as well as I would have liked, as I personally found the reveal to be somewhat obvious, at least as a whole, if not in the details. Regardless, it provides an engrossing experience that’s sure to entertain.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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Robert L

Engrossing, enchanting and really quite captivating, the Illusionist is a wonderful tale that is well written with first rate acting and directing.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/12/24

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Audience Member

Nothing to see here. Just a love triangle that goes bad and unexplained magic . Paul Giamati basically carries the whole movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/01/24

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Avalon T

This is one of the very best movies I've seen in a long time. It's superb acting with Paul Giamatti and Edward Norton, not surprising. This is a well written film with many unexpected twists and turns and a surprising ending. Make sure you watch to the very end and pay attention. I highly recommend this one. I wish I'd known about it earlier.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/24

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Neil Burger

Director

Edward Norton

Eisenheim

Paul Giamatti

Inspector Uhl

Jessica Biel

Sophie

Rufus Sewell

Crown Prince Leopold

Eddie Marsan

Josef Fischer

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Synopsis

A master magician named Eisenheim (Edward Norton) vies with Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell) of Vienna for the hand of noblewoman Sophie (Jessica Biel), the girl he once loved. He brings his considerable powers to bear on the prince, as she is about to be named royal fiancee. However, a police inspector named Uhl (Paul Giamatti) tries to warn Eisenheim that he is playing a very dangerous game.

Director: Neil Burger
Producer: Michael London, Brian Koppelman, David Levien, Bob Yari
Screenwriter: Neil Burger
Distributor: Yari Film Group
Production Co: Michael London Productions, Stillking Films, Bull's Eye Entertainment, Bob Yari Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Violence|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 1, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.8M
Runtime: 1h 50m

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