Convergence Zone
The film reappears at an opportune time - it has a good chance of conjuring an audience that's weary of reptile-infested e-savers and lowbrow comedies. It's a lot like a magic act I once saw in Vegas - while most of it was pretty run-of-the-mill, there were some tricks so remarkable that I'm still mystified by them, years later. "The Illusionist" is far from perfect, but the film succeeds in more ways than it fails. In the end, it works as a fable steeped in our attraction to the intangible, darker parts of this and other worlds. That's what sticks with you after the lights go up.
By Mark Shaffer | August 24, 2006
