The Illusionist [DVD]

This is a most unusual film, and I think a most successful one. It may well not be to everyone's taste, but it's hard to believe that any watchful viewer could miss the skill, sensitivity and freshness with which it has been made. It's based on an unused Jacques Tati story. It is set in the late 1950s. A skilled French music-hall 'illusionist' whose gentle art is being supplanted by brasher entertainments, travels to Scotland where he is spotted by a drunken Islands laird who takes him to his Island to entertain the natives. This he does very successfully - but even there newer forms are coming in (a jukebox is delivered while he is there, and the locals like it). He leaves ; but he has caught the eye of a lonely chamber-maid, Alice, perhaps 16 years old, who stows away as he departs. In Edinburgh they form a strange partnership, living together in theatrical lodgings. She reminds him I think of his daughter, whom we see in a photograph near the beginning. She cooks and tidies, he earns some money and they survive. The film, however, ends in quiet sadness (for those who have not seen the film, I cannot be specific about how). His time is really past and hers is yet to come.

The animation is absolutely terrific. It is not 'Toy Story' style at all - I don't really know what style it is - but it recreates the Highlands and Islands, the music hall, Edinburgh 60 years ago with enormous skill. It is a wonder to watch. It is a subtle film too, and there are many gentle details which underline the themes or the relationship between the illusionist and the girl. It's quite a short film, but you watch every moment. Because of its unusualness - I nearly said strangeness, which is not far off the mark - it is far more memorable than other, very successful (and indeed very good) computer-generated animations. It is, I would say, an innocent film and very easy to like, though it may be that those who prefer stuff that is more 'in your face' will feel differently. Anyway, very warmly recommended.

Don't get me wrong, I love Sylvain Chomet. Belleville Rendezvous is a masterpiece, one of the greatest animated films of all time. I was so excited when The Illusionist was announced, and from the previews it looked just as amazing.
And it is beautiful - the style is somewhat different from Belleville but in a lovely way. The backgrounds look like pen and ink wash, and the characters are, as always, wonderful caricatures.
However, I was disappointed - and it's hard not to be, with such high expectations after Belleville. I felt I was drawn more to the supporting cast than to the illusionist and his "assistant", who were slightly dull compared to the fascinating characters living in the background. There were times as well where I felt the silence was very forced: while in Belleville I caught myself not even noticing that they weren't speaking, there were moments here where it was painful. This story, I thought, was a little too complex to tell with meaningful looks alone, especially when there were so few close-ups or deviations from the standard long shot. Perhaps it's because I am not familiar with Tati's work, but I just didn't get it.
My final gripe is in the animation itself, where at some points the animation is assisted with 3D software. While I understand it makes the process easier, it was jarring and did not blend well with the hand-made feel of the rest of the film. This is particularly evident when the train passes over water or some of the scenes including cars. The animation didn't need to be that realistic - in fact the background work was quite stylized in places - so why they chose to do this is beyond me. It is not impossible to animate water or cars in 2D - old Disney movies are an obvious example - so why not do so?
But that's an incredibly picky point. While I am being quite critical, it is simply because it's Chomet. If this was anyone else or someone's debut, this is a fantastic film and I probably wouldn't have anything negative to say. But Belleville is a tough act to follow, and I don't think the Illusionist is comparable to it. It is most definitely worth seeing, and if anything it still proves that magicians are real - at least artistic ones.

WOW! I am amazed at how much controversy this film seems to be evoking on this here site.

I for one really like this film.

Let me make it clear, I love Jacques Tati, one of my all time favourite film-makers - and I'll love him 'til the day I die! But, I also like Sylvain Chomet's work, notably Belleville Rendezvous.

The Illusionist is obviously not a Jacques Tati film, it is based on a script by him which he never used, and is a homage to him. OK, Chomet has taken a few liberties with the original script - such as setting it in Edinburgh (as opposed to Prague, as in the original screenplay), and a few more besides. But then this project was always going to be an amalgamation of one film-maker with another (or, more likely Tati's style, and personification, filtered through Chomet's vision). The finished result of this is not going to fulfill everyone...

[Side note: A.I. was filmed by Steven Speilberg based on an unfinished Stanley Kubrik project, and it seemed to also heavily divide opinion, amongst some fans and critics. I feel The Illusionist may well be a similar creature, in that some will love it, some will loathe it (Marmite, anyone?)]

For me, I am happy to see Tati's gangly frame evoked once more on celluloid; and, although I also acknowledge that the film is a flawed one based on this premise alone, I believe that the strength of the animation, combined with some wonderful characterization (I love the cantankerous rabbit!) balances it out enough to be an enjoyable, if mildly twee, piece of work. Tati would undoubtedly have filmed it differently in so many ways, but he never did, did he.

Tati only ever made 6 full feature films in his life. This is not number 7. But faced with the choice of it existing (having been interpreted by Chomet, and brought to life in the medium of animation), or not existing - and being left on a shelf - then I am glad it exists. It makes me happy. You're opinion is your own, but I feel sure it can only be made by making your own judgement.

Merci.