Review of The Illusionist (2009) by Jonathan C — 30 May 2011

Nowadays, it's a rare thing to see a full length animated feature that is completely hand drawn. I miss that form of animation quite a bit when I look at a lot of the pixilated, cookie cutter Hollywood kids' flicks that come out every year. While I like computer animation quite a bit, sometimes I can't help but feel like the old hand drawn style seems to work the best when it comes to telling simple, quiet, and sweet stories that resist the noisy chaos that a lot of modern animated films employ. A movie like "The Illusionist" is indeed simple, quiet, gentle, and sweet, and it's also refreshingly animated with pens and ink instead of mouse clicks. It reminded me of a moving painting at times, with its lack of dialogue and slow but thoughtful pace, and I found it to be a very enjoyable and affecting little film.

"The Illusionist" was directed by French animator Sylvain Chomet, whose last film was one of my favorite animated films of the last decade, the wonderful 2003 release "The Triplets of Belleville." That was a creatively charged movie that reached the manic heights of an old Looney Tunes cartoon mixed with the artistic surrealism, quirkiness, and heart that Chomet displays here as well. "The Illusionist" is a much more laid back movie than "Triplets," being based on an unproduced screenplay by beloved French director/former mime Jacques Tati. Like "Triplets," it has very little dialogue and is told strictly from a visual point of view (what else would you expect from a movie written by a mime?), but its visuals and style are strong enough to make dialogue seem unnecessary, and maybe even unwanted, as I enjoyed the quiet, introspective little film much more than I typically do loud celebrity voices and theme songs that appear all the time in animated works on my side of the ocean.

Set in 1959, the film follows the magician of the title who is finding work difficult in a time when magic tricks are yesterday's news. He takes any job he can find, playing to varying reactions and interest, and is often demeaned by his audiences for his irrelevance in a time when rock and roll and television are the focal points of entertainment. He finds some success at a run down pub on a Scottish island, mostly with a sheltered young girl who seems very convinced by his tricks. She is so convinced that she, in fact, believes him to actually be capable of real magic, and the illusionist begins to thrive on her admiration. They form a tight, non-romantic but familial relationship that the illusionist clings to, as her admiration and belief in his tricks and trade are the only real positive attention he receives in a world that no longer cares about such things. Of course, it's not long until she becomes distracted by the modern world around her, and the illusionist begins to fear becoming alone and out of date again.

That's really it as far as the plot goes, as this is a movie about character, feeling, and mood, rather than a very active story. The illusionist is a wonderfully developed character, as he gains our sympathy from the first frame. His pride and honor in doing what he does is a strong contrast to the indifferent reactions he gets from a bored audience, and I found his struggles to get attention and respect from a new generation to be quite compelling and, at times, touching. His relationship with the girl is also strong, and refreshingly simple and sweet. Her adoration is not romantic, but a thing of genuine innocence. Watching him struggle to maintain his status in her eyes is of course symbolic of the initial love we all have for magicians in our youth, before we move on to other things.

As sweet and thoughtful as the story is, it's the animation that won me over the most. I always respond to a story that's unique and gorgeous with its visuals, and "The Illusionist" is one of the best looking animated films I've seen in the last few years. The characters' movements are realistic but flexible, the cities and surroundings amazingly detailed and mood setting. The colors blend together beautifully and give you a gorgeous image in nearly every frame. This is the kind of story that's best told with animation- I don't see how a live action movie like this could entirely work. With Chomet's gorgeous, classical animation it soars into another level of entertainment. I could look at it all day, and with the visuals telling the story rather than the dialogue, you don't even have to have the sound on. That's the true testament of a great animated movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of "The Illusionist," from the black and white flashback opening to its bittersweet but touching ending. I didn't love it the same way I did "The Triplets of Belleville," or at least not in that "Holy crap man, you have got to see this crazy movie I've seen!" way. This is more like the kind of movie you lean back with a cup of hot chocolate on a quiet evening to enjoy. It's a beautiful film, and definitely deserved its Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination, although I think overall "Toy Story 3" was the more deserving winner as a film. Nevertheless, like "Triples of Belleville," as well the Studio Ghibli movies from Japan, it shows that old fashioned, hand drawn animation has a place in today's cinema as long as it keeps showcasing its art based around interesting, strong, and unique material.