The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus places style far ahead of substance, and the film obviously suffers because of it, but when the style is this stylish, and when you have such a talented cast, the film still remains worth seeing. The worlds inside Terry Gilliam's mind are truly awe-inspiring. Even within the real world, there are lots of exciting details and colorful costumes. But when the characters head through the mirror into a world shaped by their imaginations, the movie becomes almost unbearably beautiful. The visual effects tend toward cartoony and exaggerated, appropriate considering their context, and the resulting scenery is jaw-dropping.
Unfortunately, the focus on creating these stunning fantasy worlds leads to a lack of narrative strength. There is an underlying plot (a few, actually), but the threads are all terribly tangled and cut up, leading to a sense of babbling incoherence. The pacing isn't consistent enough; when Heath Ledger's character shows up, the film falls into a vat of narrative molasses, and it takes a while for the pace to pick back up. Too much time in the real world, when we know what's waiting on the other side, is hard to tolerate.
The performances are consistently good. Christopher Plummer is especially impressive as the titular doctor; the torment of what he's done, the guilt and loss of hope, show in every line of his face and in the blankness of his gaze. Heath Ledger is spirited in his last role, but what makes the part more interesting are the interpretations by other actors. Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell all make appearances within the dreamworlds, and the results are fascinating and eerie. They all look quite alike and play the character spot-on while still retaining their unique identities as actors. It's a fun viewing experience, to be sure.
Despite the narrative woes, the great cast, rampant imagination, and beautiful art direction make Doctor Parnassus worth seeing, especially on the big screen. I have to imagine the wonders would lose some of their power on a TV.
7/10
Unfortunately, the focus on creating these stunning fantasy worlds leads to a lack of narrative strength. There is an underlying plot (a few, actually), but the threads are all terribly tangled and cut up, leading to a sense of babbling incoherence. The pacing isn't consistent enough; when Heath Ledger's character shows up, the film falls into a vat of narrative molasses, and it takes a while for the pace to pick back up. Too much time in the real world, when we know what's waiting on the other side, is hard to tolerate.
The performances are consistently good. Christopher Plummer is especially impressive as the titular doctor; the torment of what he's done, the guilt and loss of hope, show in every line of his face and in the blankness of his gaze. Heath Ledger is spirited in his last role, but what makes the part more interesting are the interpretations by other actors. Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell all make appearances within the dreamworlds, and the results are fascinating and eerie. They all look quite alike and play the character spot-on while still retaining their unique identities as actors. It's a fun viewing experience, to be sure.
Despite the narrative woes, the great cast, rampant imagination, and beautiful art direction make Doctor Parnassus worth seeing, especially on the big screen. I have to imagine the wonders would lose some of their power on a TV.
7/10