Product Description

Unlock the mysteries of the year's most spellbinding film from the producers of Crash and Sideways! Oscar(r) nominees Paul Giamatti and Edward Norton lead an all-star cast in this "stunning" film (USA Today) that conjures an exhilarating blend of suspense, romance and mind-bending twists. The acclaimed illusionist Eisenheim (Norton) has not only captured the imaginations of all of Vienna, but also the interest of the ambitious Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). But when Leopold's new fiancée (Jessica Biel) rekindles a childhood fascination with Eisenheim, the Prince's interest evolves into obsession...and suddenly the city's Chief Inspector (Giamatti) finds himself investigating a shocking crime. But even as the Inspector engages him in a dramatic challenge of wills, Eisenheim prepares for his most impressive illusion yet in this "mesmerizing" (Entertainment Weekly) and "beautifully acted" (Good Morning America) film that "teases you until the very end!" (The New York Times).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #306 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-01-09
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 109 minutes

Amazon.com
First screened in Europe and scheduled for limited release in the U.S., The Illusionist offers welcome proof that "arthouse" quality needn't be limited to the arthouses. Set in turn-of-the-century Vienna, this stately, elegant period film benefited from a crossover release in mainstream cinemas, and showed considerable box-office staying power--granted, teenage mallrats and lusty males may have been drawn to the allure of Seventh Heaven alumna Jessica Biel, who rises to the occasion with a fine performance. But there's equal appeal in the casting of Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, who bring their formidable talents to bear on the intriguing tale of a celebrated magician named Eisenheim (Norton) whose stage performance offends the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), a vindictive lout who aims to marry Duchess Sophie (Biel), Eisenheim's childhood friend and now, 15 years later, his would-be lover. This romantic rivalry and Eisenheim's increasingly enigmatic craft of illusion are investigated by Chief Inspector Uhl (Giamatti), who's under Leopold's command and is therefore not to be trusted as Eisenheim and Sophie draw closer to their inevitable reunion. Cleverly adapted by director Neil Burger from Steven Millhauser's short story "Eisenheim the Illusionist," and boasting exquisite production values and a fine score by Philip Glass, The Illusionist is the kind of class act that fully deserved its unusually wide and appreciative audience. -- Jeff Shannon

Beyond The Illusionist

"Eisenheim the Illusionist" and Other Stories

Paul Giamatti in a More Loveable Role

Magic Kits & Accessories

Stills from The Illusionist

Customer Reviews

The Illusionist DVD
I liked this movie! Very convincing! If you like mystery and magic you'll like it too!

Post-production can't save a bland screenplay
This movie falls flat from an unbearably generic plot as well as a thinly veiled attempt to cover its complete lack of creative thought or depth with special effects and an attempt at artistic quality that only goes so far as, "Say it with more accent," and "What if we gave the whole film a sepia tone to make it seem more 'historic?'"

There are reasons that we go to see magicians in person rather than simply watch them on TV; one of the biggest being that nothing is really amazing when it could just as easily have been done with TV special effects. This sums up pretty much every trick in The Illusionist. There are no real magic tricks here, and subsequently no explanation for how the 'tricks' really (though the movie pretends there are.) This is because the tricks don't actually work; they're "movie magic" masquerading for the real thing.

The love story is a rehashed, "she's rich, he's poor, the world doesn't understand," sort of thing. There's no real romantic chemistry, so they cover it up with a bare leg sex montage. The character development is done mostly through voice-over narration. You'll never see the final twist coming because it's so contrived.

There's a reason this movie was released in theaters a little over a month before The Prestige. Once you've seen that undoubtedly superior film The Illusionist becomes almost unwatchable. I gave it a second star because as bad as it is, I've sadly seen much worse things come out of Hollywood recently.

Love makes the world disappear
The only way for their love to see the light is when he (Edward Norton) learns how to make them disappear. It's love coated with magic acquainted with lightly thrilling events.

I like the way Eisenheim (Edward Norton) carries himself as a magician and as a lover. He says very little but his eyes and actions speak volumes!

I love everything in this movie and I don't mind seeing it again.