The Illusionist
User Score
7.3 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 35 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 35
  3. Negative: 3 out of 35

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  1. shepardn
    Jan 17, 2011
    9
    you have to like a movie that you must watch start to finish.. and this is one of them. their is twists and turns that i did not see coming. this one is a hit. will be in my personal library for a long while..
  2. Dorrbecker
    Feb 8, 2011
    10
    Best animated of the year 2010. Beautiful film with classic animation, visually stunning. The story is emotional and touching. It compares old time culture with the new dull pop culture.
  3. ShaneGreyFox
    Jul 8, 2011
    8
    This is a good film. It is about an illusionist and his travels from town to town looking for work. Along the way he meets a young girl who believes he is truely magical. The characters don't really speak, they kind of mumble and gesture, its more of a silent film in a way. It has a melancholy overtone in how it portrays its slice of life in the illusionist's world of the 1950's. The drawings are quite detailed and very beautiful, the film could be watched just for the illustrations. A well done film, somber overall, but I did enjoy the relationship between the illusionist and the girl; the script was written by a french mime who wrote it as a letter to his estranged eldest daughter. SS 8/10… Expand
  4. Halfwelshman
    Aug 21, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Illusionist is something very special indeed. It's beautiful, funny and tragic in equal measure. The animation is superb, and the world we witness is populated with a plethora of unique characters, some of which are only visible for a few moments, others who recur throughout the film. The most heartbreaking aspect of the film is the emotional journey the two main characters undergo. Both Alice and Tatischeff are forced to grow up. Alice begins the story full of childhood wonder and innocence, but as she reaches the city she undergoes a transformation into a young woman. Tatischeff rather more tragically is unable to find success, and is forced to take on steadily more humiliating jobs. He ends up turning his back on the trade he loves and has dedicated his life to, as he is unable to keep up with changing times. The Illusionist's real achievement, as was the case with Chomet's previous animated feature, Belleville Rendez-vous, is that it conveys such vivid characters and such a wide variety of emotions without the use of dialogue - what little language used is largely inaudible, so to effectively connect with the characters, we rely almost completely on the quality of the animation. In a lesser film this could never work, but in The Illusionist, this works wonders. Every aspect of the film - the animation, characterisation, narrative, music and themes, are quite simply magic.… Expand
  5. Codyk4545
    Jul 11, 2011
    7
    It's an interesting film, very unique, and there aren't many like it. The visuals are stunning, and a treat to look at, and the characters are filled with life and a lot of heart.

    Being up against two huge contenders in the Animated Feature category (Toy Story 3, How to Train Your Dragon) I thought that I would check out the cartoon that was up against two fantastic features.

    There is m    inimal to absolutely no dialogue (and what dialogue there is is in French) which I found very intriguing. Some may find this to be a turn-off. However, the story is told beautifully, and there is never any confusion as to what is going on.

    The first twenty minutes or so I was completely engrossed in the film. With the wonderful animation and charm that is possesses, it's hard not to be. I felt though as it went on that it grew a bit slow towards the middle of the story, and lost the grip that it had on me at the beginning.

    I would recommend this especially for any fan of animation. It's definitely a work of art. However, for casual film goers, I would stick to the Pixar masterpieces that we all know and love.

    7/10    … Expand
  6. NedRyerson1
    Jan 14, 2012
    10
    The Illusionist is one of the best animated movies of all times. Is unbelievable the levels of emotion that can reach this movie with little dialogue, sad colors and simple characters. The protagonist is a failed magician trying to survive in a Europe that has no time for that kind of entertainment and where is not possible to dream. But one day, he meets a girl who believes that his magic tricks are real. That girl represents our childhood, but everyone must grow up and be mature enough to accept the reality. On the other hand, the illusionist recreates the figure of Jacques Tati and represents a lost concept by cinematography, the dignity of the loser; if things dont work out, find another way of living or simply walk away.
    In this movie are noticeable the same ideas that treat Sylvain Chomet in The Triplets of Belleville: poor environments with no possibility of dreaming, failure of the show business and a life where is not escape from reality, no matter how cruel or dream destroyer could be.
    This film is beautiful, charming and it will touch you heart, because everyone like their childhood, but this movie is a slap on the face that brings you to the adults world.    … Expand
  7. cmrcool72
    Sep 2, 2012
    8
    Generally it is perceived that a film, much like it's lead character undergoes what's commonly known as the three arcs, the first of which shows the character lost, or without puropse, the second arc takes the character, gives him a dilemma (in this case the search for occupation) and makes him work to fix it, often leading to the third arc which leaves the character a better person, one who now has purpose. The Illusionist is excitedly refreshing with its characters, story and animation in a sense that this is now the case. In fact it could almost be the opposite, the character at the end of this film, or at least the main character has not changed one bit, in fact, it could be said that the lead at the beginning of the film was actually a better person when he adopts the young Gaelic girl into his care than at the end, crushing her illusion that magic is real and leaving her with little money as he departs on at train leaving her virtually penniless, if in the arms of a new found love. Yes, it could be said that the Illusionist is no Disney Pixar film (the company behind such classics would never threaten its unique situation as currently the most secure studio present) but in no sense does it mean that the Illisionist is anythign short of unique itself. The film has its flaws, dialogue (when rarely spoken) is often difficult to understand and the film finishes just as you start falling for the characters emotionally, but these are minor set backs in an affordable and enjoyable night in.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 31 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. New Orleans Times-Picayune
    Reviewed by: Mike Scott
    Feb 25, 2011
    63
    A beautifully uncomplicated story, really -- about the love between daddies and their little girls.
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  2. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    Feb 10, 2011
    63
    He (Chomet) keeps us waiting for a narrative payoff that will equal that visual splendor, and he makes us think that many small inspired touches will add up to something memorable. But when he opens his hand at last, there's nothing in it.
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  3. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    Feb 10, 2011
    89
    Absolutely mandatory viewing for aspiring animators and filmmakers. (In terms of pacing, scoring, editing, and narrative, it's a film school unto itself.) For the rest of us, however, it's simply magic.
    Read full review
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