The Great Magician (2011)

Set in the early 20th century of China, years after the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the Revolution in 1911, "The Great Magician" revolves around Tony Leung Chiu Wai's renowned illusionist Chang Hsien arriving in a town where a powerful warlord Lei Bully (Lau Ching-wan) rules. While Lei Bully tries to win the heart of his "seventh wife" Liu Yin (Zhou Xun), the magician seems interested in the same girl imprisoned by the warlord.

This is an entertainment-oriented movie from Tung-Shing Yee (Derek Yee), director of such intense crime dramas as "One Nite in Mongkok" and "Shinjuku Incident." "The Great Magician" is a light-hearted fantasy action movie at least that is what it strives to be but the overlong film (the running time exceeding two hours) simply needs a better story.

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The best part of the film is the stars Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Lau Ching-wan and Zhou Xun. The characters they play are not exactly convincing, but their superb performances almost succeed in making them look credible, together with the great production values.

However, there are so many characters that pop up and disappear unceremoniously, as well as so many intrigues going on involving the Qing Dynasty supporters, Japanese military officers and Chinese revolutionaries. There are also subplots about the secret of magic spell.

So what the film is all about? It is a love story, I think, but the love story is suddenly replaced by something else in the final chapter. Perhaps the idea of a great magician as a hero of a special effects-ridden action is to be blamed. So where is the magic? "The Great Magician" is fairly amusing action that is curiously unexciting.

It was not worth the time nor money.

I would like to return it and ger money back!

I would say it was something a child or teenager might enjoy.

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Just for fun. A delightful, light hearted movie. The actors were very good and perfect for this type of movie. Please remember, this is a Chinese movie, not an American one. You will have to read, but at a point, you are enjoying the film and forget that your even reading along.

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Others have written more extensive & knowledgeable reviews, but I just wanted to add my two cents' worth. The magic entertainments are truly entertaining, the special effects fun, the acting wonderful. As an added treat we get to see a scene that has to be seen to be believed: a large table around which generals sit and move figures of soldiers as they argue strategy...or whatever it is they're really talking about...because this is actually a table surrounded by some of today's greatest Chinese directors having what is obviously great fun! It is astonishing. You can learn about it in the making-of feature included with the movie. A must-see that the movie's (really) director accurately describes as leaving the audience feeling happy!

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Bought this movie at Target after reading the general opinions on Amazon. But having felt a little let down by overwhelming critics from Amazon in the past still wondered if I wasted my money. After watching the movie felt more entertained than expected and the story line was quite good.

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