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Title: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
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| CONSUMER ADVICE |
Parents, there are some violent and sexual images, but mostly it's just a weird looking film. Recommended for ages 12 and up. |
I highly doubt “The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus” would be getting half the attention it is now if this wasn’t the late Academy Award-winner Heath Ledger’s final role (that we know of). Ledger had filmed roughly half his scenes before he took a break for a little R & R. As most of you know, that R & R would be the last he’d ever get, giving director Terry Gilliam the difficult task of trying to finish his film without the main star living. Considering the impossible task Gilliam had, it’s amazing the film is as entertaining as it is.
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The movie revolves around Doctor Parnassus (Academy Award-nominee Christopher Plummer) who is an immortal, living forever because he made a deal with the Devil (Tom Waits), of which he won and now he has to live forever not knowing the ever satisfying feeling of death. I’ve always wondered why people make movies about death. If death is something to be feared, and life is something to cherish and take advantage of, then why do we get so many movies with seeming death wishes? This movie actually does little to answer this question of mine. The closest reason Parnassus gives us for hating immortality is that his act is obsolete.
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This is fixed though when they find an amnestic man named Tony (Ledger) hanging under a bridge. The young man has a funny look about him and appears untrustworthy, but he does turn the shows finances around. He also happens to get addicted to making trips through the doctors mystic mirror where his physical appearance changes to that of Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Collin Farrell. The rotating of the actors is clearly here because of Ledger’s death, what amazed me was how much the gimmick worked. Once the mirror show embraced it’s fantasy side the movie picks up considerably, where as the scenes outside the doctors imagination are annoying, unpolished, and weak.
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This may have to do with Gilliams inability to do reshoot’s, which sadly makes the Ledger moments in the film the weakest moments. In fact, I’m not convinced this is a good movie. It’s almost there, but it’s just too jumbled and annoying. The movie only shines when Heath Ledger - the only real reason people are interested in this film - is off camera. The movie is extremely polarizing because it’s almost a good movie, but it’s largely a mess. I’m giving this movie three stars though because considering the circumstances surrounding the film it’s amazing it’s watchable at all. I guess that makes this a passing grade, but with so many other great films currently in theaters, this is best only seen to feed your curiosity rather then to be entertained.
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