The Illusionist

Right now you can watch The Illusionist in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 5,369 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Edward Norton leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Illusionist is worth clearing space for. The Illusionist uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. With his eye on a lovely aristocrat, a gifted illusionist named Eisenheim uses his powers to win her away from her betrothed, a crown prince. But Eisenheim's scheme creates tumult within the monarchy and ignites the suspicion of a dogged inspector. Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. It was released in 2006. What separates The Illusionist from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find The Illusionist genuinely rewarding. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Edward Norton grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.