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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Movie Review
Grade: C+
Following the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, the gifted actor gained prominent recognition as he received an Academy Award for his performance in The Dark Knight. Although Ledger acquired much-deserved fame, it astonishes me that his final movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus gained little attention derived from North American audiences. With its lack of consideration, the American audiences missed out on a film that adequately gives Ledger a final farewell.
Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is fantasy film about a traveling theater troupe’s attempt to win a bet wagered against the Devil. To do so, they must acquire its audience members to enter a mirror where they will decide between the pleasures of the world or the marvels of their imagination. To set it straight, Terry Gilliam’s crafted premise is simply imaginative. The idea of exploring an individual’s imagination is well-detailed and has the potential to make Charles Kaufman and Tim Burton go back to the drawing boards. To craft this world, the film employs CGI; While the CGI is at times hackneyed, it was sufficient enough to complement the premise. The design and idea of the film as a whole is inventively original, and is the film’s strongest point.
While the film may seem fascinating, the main appeal it possesses is its title of being Heath Ledger’s last performance. Fans of the actor will be satisfied with this performance as he portrays his character cunningly and with realism. Although it may not be on par with his performance as the Joker, he does display the talent of a matured actor. Due to his death before the film was completed, cameo performances by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Ferrell are employed within the film. Gilliam does a sufficient job in justifying the alteration in the character as fans of any of the actors will be pleasantly surprised.
Although Parnassus succeeds with its splendor and acting, it is not without its flaws. There are some minor problems present within the plot that can be overlooked. The film’s introduction of the trope is a tad extensive, as the main character is not presented until half an hour into the film. Additionally, as stated above, the CGI is not top-notch but is sufficient enough to capture thought. Lastly, the major flaw that I found was many of the parts of the film felt empty. The best characteristic of the film is its magic, but sadly it is only really prominent in the final hour of the film, when entering the mirror was a common instance. The first hour dwelt on plot development between the Devil and Parnassus; It is an important part of the film, but it did not have the necessity of an extended focus. The first half of the film is above average and is where I felt the most bareness. Even with this fact, it is not enough to bring down the film as a whole.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is an imaginative film that should be highly considered for a rental. The audience will find itself in a plethora of interest, as the the world crafted by Gilliam is highly appealing. Although it has some flaws, it is a honorable goodbye to a highly underrated actor. Grade: C+
