Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 31 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 36 Ratings

  • Starring: Didier Gustin, Edith Rankin, Frédéric Lebon, Jean-Claude Donda
  • Summary: The Illusionist is a story about two paths that cross. An outdated, aging magician, forced to wander from country to country, city to city and station to station in search of a stage to perform his act meets a young girl at the start of her life‟s journey. Alice is a teenage girl with all her capacity for childish wonder still intact. She plays at being a woman without realizing the day to stop pretending is fast approaching. She doesn‟t know yet that she loves The Illusionist like she would a father; he already knows that he loves her as he would a daughter. Their destinies will collide, but nothing – not even magic or the power of illusion– can stop the voyage of discovery. (Sony Classic) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 31
  2. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Reviewed by: Steve Persall
    Feb 9, 2011
    100
    The soundtrack is a small marvel of music hall tunes and dialogue that is mostly garbled, allowing expressions and body language to be interpreted.
  2. Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    Jan 27, 2011
    100
    A handcrafted jewel of a movie, The Illusionist understands the illusions that sustain us in youth and that we have to let slip in the end. It's the rare work of art that cherishes both the magic and the trick.
  3. Reviewed by: J.R. Jones
    Jan 13, 2011
    80
    The dialogue is multilingual but largely incidental to the action; the physical comedy is gracefully rendered and often magical.
  4. Reviewed by: Stephanie Zacharek
    Dec 21, 2010
    60
    The animation itself is technically gorgeous, a class act all the way. But there's so little to be found in the faces of the characters, or even in the way their limbs move (much of it adopted, cleverly enough, from Tati's own physical style), that it's not clear what we're supposed to feel for them.

See all 31 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. 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
  2. It's an interesting film, very unique, and there aren't many like it. It has that Disney-esque type magic to it without being made by Disney or Pixar. Its a truly beautiful movie. It truly did deserve a nomination for best picture of 2010, it was amazing! I just cannot express how much I loved it. It had great emotional timing, it was extremely entertaining, its beautiful, charming, heartfelt, classic, stunning, touching, unique, interesting, and just amazing! I recommend it to all people, not just kids, but adults, you will like it too! Expand
  3. 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
  4. 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 minimal 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

See all 7 User Reviews

Trailers

Related Articles

  1. The Best and Worst Movies of 2010

    The Best and Worst Movies of 2010 Image
    Published: January 7, 2011
    In our annual report, we reveal the best- and worst-reviewed movies of 2010 in a variety of categories.