Review of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) by Jeffrey M — 15 Jun 2012

While I appreciate Terry Gilliam, I've never been one for hyper-stylized, CGI heavy fantasy films, especially fantasy films with a quirky sensibility. That said, Imaginarium works because of the strong characters, acted well by all involved, some genuinely funny humor, and a tone that doesn't take itself too seriously. The narrative is strong initially but wains heavily in its last act, which turns in to a bit of a mess. The background story of Ledger's death can almost be felt on the screen, the film just doesn't come together like the well executed first two-thirds of the film would indicate. Visually it's imaginative, but much of the CGI was inconsistent, lacking the polish and grandness of other fantasy themed films, like most Tim Burton vehicles. Still, it does enough right to make it an interesting, albeit uneven, watch.

3/5 Stars.