Review: The Illusionist

Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist is an old fashioned animated movie where dialogue is virtually non existant, inviting the the viewers instead to absorb themselves in the sumptuous animated dreamscape on offer. In every frame there is some small wonder to behold, be it in the background or foreground, that more than makes up for its slight plot and running time. It is this depth, coupled with the film’s bittersweet sense of pathos and whimsy that sets its occasional slapstick apart from its Chaplin-like guise. It may drag in parts, but its slow, gentle pace works ultimately to accentuate the film’s strong undercurrent of sentimentality and tender affection while also lending it a certian otherworldly quality. Dark yet heartfelt, this is a more mature and patient offering than the more accessible Belleville Rendez-vous, dealing with hope and longing in the relationship between Titscheff and his biggest fan, Alice, who believes he can conjur up expensive gifts for her at the flick of a switch.

The Illusionist is a timely and long overdue addition to Chomet’s filmography, a perfect example of how hand-drawn animation can hold its own in a world where CGI seems to want to take precedence, a metaphor poignantly rendered through Tatischeff as an illusionist struggling to get by in a world where he no longer seems to belong.

(4/5)