"The Illusionist" Help?

[Angelic Slayer]

Hey guys, just have a question for anyone who has seen the movie "The Illusionist" (with Jessica Biel). I'm doing an assignment on the film for school and one part of it is identifying a theme within the movie. This is really tripping me up, and was just wondering if anyone had any ideas?

Any help would be unbelievably appreciated! 😀

 

[Jade In The Sky]

I watched it some time ago, it was with very bad quality and maybe that's one of the reasons I didn't like it at all. 🙂 I am reading the resume now and trying to sum up my ideas 😀

Well, it is a love story or rather say the main character's actions are driven by love. He directs all his energy and efforts, all his resourcefulness and time to fight for his love and to win. Magic is the means he uses. To be an illusionist is not a profession or job, it is not a calling. It is the means which will help him overcome the obstacles against his happiness. I find it endearing to see someone so persistant and devoted to someone else like he was to his girl. I never believed in how is it in English?children's love? Like the one of Ally McBeal and Billy for example hehe What I didn't like was that the movie didn't show the girl's point of view very well. She seemed to me like the perfect maiden in distress, unhappy with her situation and SO still in love with him but not very brave. If they wanted us to believe those kids were meant to be together, they should have shown her with a little more character.

lol or maybe I'm forgetting something. Because I don't remember it very well 😛

Did you like the movie btw? Was it your choice for the assignment?

 

[Angelic Slayer]

Wow, thanks a lot! That should help me out a lot!

And yeah I picked the movie, I saw it once and LOVED it!!! The ending caught me so much by surprise, was awesome! I loved the plot to it, and it just kept me guessing for the whole movie. Really great (loved the inspector's character too! So persistent!). I agree though, I wish they'd done a bit more from Sophie (the girl's) POV.... she was okay, but it was hard to believe they were THAT in love from what little we were shown of them, you know?

Still loved it though, one of my faves 😀

 

[teentitan]

I thought the theme which you asked for was not about love but about using illusion to decieve everyone around the central character (Norton) that being the count, investigator, theater owner, audience into believing Biel had killed herself to get away from the count.
So the theme is deception thru illusion IMO.

 

[Jade In The Sky]

Okay, why do you think he wants to deceive them? I agree that he deceives through illusion, the movie is very clear about that. But why? Ego thing? Desire for fame and approval? Is it a negative or a positive thing? Or is it to fight for his love? I think his motives are what is important and what would define the theme.

 

[teentitan]

Okay, why do you think he wants to deceive them? I agree that he deceives through illusion, the movie is very clear about that. But why? Ego thing? Desire for fame and approval? Is it a negative or a positive thing? Or is it to fight for his love? I think his motives are what is important and what would define the theme.

The plot is about love that is a given. But the theme to achieve the plot is deception. That's the way I saw it.
In movies there is always the plot but how or what theme is used to achieve the plot. Like the upcoming Oceans 13. The plot is to take all the money they can from a casino owner. How? They are going to cheat so the theme is how do they cheat to accomplish the plot.