The Illusionist (2006) Critic Reviews

Metascore®:

73 =
Based upon 14 Critic Reviews
See all The Illusionist (2006) reviews at
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Boston Globe | Ty BurrAdd Critic to Favorites

Illusionist is like an overupholstered wing chair in the corner of a men's club -- you settle in only to be startled by how ridiculously comfy you are.Read the full review

Entertainment Weekly | Lisa SchwarzbaumAdd Critic to Favorites

The Illusionist looks rigorously styled and measured, and every one of Norton's postures feels chosen. Yet the interesting actor has chosen so thoughtfully that we're riveted.Read the full review

Los Angeles Times | Carina ChocanoAdd Critic to Favorites

Sewell and Giamatti ham it up as the imperious pretender to the throne and his ambitious but conflicted minion in this uncheesy but entertainingly tricky mystery. There's more heat between the two of them than between the sappy lovers.Read the full review

ReelViews | James BerardinelliAdd Critic to Favorites

An infectious mix of romance, mystery, and magic.Read the full review

Rolling Stone | Peter TraversAdd Critic to Favorites

Edward Norton is at his best here, chalking up another boundary-stretching performance this year in the wake of the unfairly overlooked "Down in the Valley."Read the full review

San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalleAdd Critic to Favorites

A rich and elegant film, full of sly, devious characters with complicated motives.Read the full review

Slate | Dana StevensAdd Critic to Favorites

It's an exquisitely crafted period picture that keeps promising more and more as it goes along--smarter ideas, richer themes, spookier plot twists--and keeps delivering on every promise, right up until the rug-pulling and overly hasty final sequence.Read the full review

The Hollywood Reporter | James GreenbergAdd Critic to Favorites

Outstanding production values and mysterious subject matter give the film a surprisingly opulent feel for an independent Sundance entry.Read the full review

The New York Times | Stephen HoldenAdd Critic to Favorites

This entertaining movie is content to be something a bit more modest: a pungent period folk tale that teases you until the very end.Read the full review

The Onion (A.V. Club) | Scott TobiasAdd Critic to Favorites

The results are reasonably clever and impeccably executed, but one of these days, Burger is going to have to pull more from his hat than just the rabbit.Read the full review

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