介绍:
Two years ago, director Terry Gilliam's production of the movie "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" nearly went up in smoke. The filming was disrupted by the death of lead actor Heath Ledger, until Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law came to the rescue and took up the recasting of Ledger's role. But even this powerful line-up falls short of saving the film from becoming a difficult one for viewers.
With a fondness for magic realism, Terry Gilliam is known for an overdose of imaginative fantasies in his films. If there is ever a way to make one of his films more illusive than what it already is, he will not hesitate to do so. Some critics say the director is represented in this film by Doctor Parnassus the magician, who appeals to his audience by channeling their imagination. But I would add that you might also find a hint of Gilliam in the treacherous devil Nick who laughs at and makes fun of the rigid and boring Doctor Parnassus. The doctor, a duty-bound monk that has survived millenniums, has no clue about how to attract his audience, while the devil could easily seduce the mortals. Talk about Gilliam's confidence in his skills.
Another thing that spoils the film is the repeated reference to Heath Ledger. As the actor's final work, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" is dedicated to him. You would think that Ledger's first appearance in the film as a hanging man pays enough tribute, but no, the director decides to hang him once again. A tolerant viewer may swallow this up, but to me, this looked like an attempt to profit on Ledger's death, and a failed one at that.
The last straw that breaks a careful viewer's back has to do with Ledger's death. In his absence, three of his friends come in to fill his place. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law may be excellent actors in other films individually, but squeezed into one piece, they pose a challenge to the director. Unfortunately, Gilliam is not able to connect each of the segments played by the different actors, so the film practically staggers to the end.
A Terry Gilliam film like this could be a difficult one even if Ledger had lived long enough to finish it. Ledger's untimely death just made things worse. But worst of all was Gilliam's decision to go on with the movie. Let's just say he has too much confidence in his own skills but lacks the ability to save the sinking ship. On a scale from one to ten, I give this one a five.
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