Like I told ya when I reviewed "The Illusionist," Victorian magicians are the new hotness.
Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman (ooh, eye candy!) play magicians in this artsy flick -- former friends turned bitter rivals by tragedy. Yeah, we've heard that before, but these two turn "I'm gonna get that guy" into a years-long dance of escalating pain and destruction. No doubt about it -- they're dedicated.
Supporting cast? Michael Caine plays an old-timer magician with a accent thick enough to cut. It's nice to see real-life magician Ricky Jay (who apparently coached the stars in slight of hand) in a small part, but Scarlett Johansson is blonde and forgettable as the beautiful assistant. Maybe she should look for a role where she can actually act.
But she doesn't matter, because Bowie! Bowie, Bowie, Bowie, Bowie! The Sovereign himself shows up! Woo-hoo!
The story mixes magic, weird science and a bit of fantasy. It's twisty and complex -- I didn't have it all figured out before the big reveal (which is rare) but the clues were there. I'll watch this one again, just to make sure I caught all the tricks.
No comments:
Post a Comment