The Illusionist review

So a while ago I saw The Illusionist and I never got around to writing about it. Before seeing it, the film was just that other magician movie that didn't look as good as The Prestige (a film I will be quick to see this weekend). Now that I've seen it, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised. The Illusionist stars Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel and is directed by Neil Burger.
Norton plays the title character of Eisenheim the Illusionist who may or not have supernatural powers. He uses that mystery to his advantage when he attempts to take down the crown prince in Vienna at the turn of the 19th century. There's a little bit of politics and a little of romance, served with a large order of mystery and twists. Norton and Giamatti are the standouts here, Giamatti is especially on his game and he seems to channel Claude Rains in Casablanca. Biel is just fine in her role as childhood sweetheart to Eisenheim and political tool to the crown prince. The camerawork and lighting are top notch and creates a very convincing century-old vibe to the film via a use of sepia tones and iris-ins and outs.
Edward Norton once again reminds me that he is one of our better actors working today (somehow I forget that fact when I don't see him something for a while). If you haven't seen The Illusionist, do so before the marketing machine behind The Prestige makes you forget about it.