The Great Magician

THE GREAT MAGICIAN is a quite typical Chinese comedy film with plenty of characters plotting against each other and trying to outwit each other at every step. The plot is themed around magic, just like THE PRESTIGE, so expect loads of spectacle and CGI-fuelled trickery on route. Some of the stars featuring include HARDBOILED's Tony Leung, perfectly cast as the suave sorcerer, and Daniel Wu in a fun opening cameo scene. The humour itself is very Chinese in feel, but the plot is fast paced so there's little time for boredom or cliche to become overpowering. I wasn't a huge fan, but there's far, far worse out there.

Many people I know don't watch "foreign language" movies because they don't like subtitles (they forget that THEY'RE the foreigners to the people who made the movie). I think that's a great pity because they miss out on some gems and this is one of them. It's entertaining from start to finish, well acted and directed and raised some real belly-laughs from yours truly (and believe me, that's a hard thing to do - I'm a smiler, not a laugher!) Don't miss out on this one folks, it's pure entertainment at it's best.

Part historical drama, part love story, and a LARGE part tongue in cheek social satire, this movie was a sheer delight from beginning to end. To all that, add the fact that the magic presented is by and large correct and true to the art (unlike the totally incorrect mess that was The Prestige) and this is a movie for a magician to love. But even without a background in magic, the clever twistyness of the plot, the humor of the dialog and the amazing acrobatics will carry almost anyone with some child in their heart through to the end with a smile on their face. Truly a gem of a kind Hollywood hasn't made for a long time.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Hero, Infernal Affairs, Lust Caution, 2046) and Xun Zhou, one of the best actresses in film, head this tale of intrigue and deception. In a China destabilized and in social and political confusion, a mysterious magician returns home from Europe. In the background a political intrigue aimed at restoring the Qing Dynasty deposed by the Revolution of 1911. Amid this, a quest to reclaim a stolen love. Magic, vaudeville, and politics mix in this romance, and one is not sure is it is all a bit confusing. But it all makes sense in the end, or does it?