Read Mixed User Reviews for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

5

PaxsterOct 16, 2010

The effects and the idea are brilliant but the plot is a bit of a borefest and the movie drags on and on and on. This is not a great ending to Heath Ledgers acting career but lets hope The Dark Knight is the one he is really remembered for.The effects and the idea are brilliant but the plot is a bit of a borefest and the movie drags on and on and on. This is not a great ending to Heath Ledgers acting career but lets hope The Dark Knight is the one he is really remembered for. In a nutshell, dissapointing.… Expand

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5

jeffsJan 6, 2010

It would be interesting to hear the director of this movie - Terry Gilliam - explain why he signed a petition "demanding" the release of convicted child rapist, bail jumper and fugitive Roman Polanski.

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4

SnafuFrankNov 19, 2011

This movie lacks focus and development, and all the characters in this film were all clueless of what was going on, and they couldn't think rationally most of the time. Watching this movie was like staring at a wall for 123 minutes,This movie lacks focus and development, and all the characters in this film were all clueless of what was going on, and they couldn't think rationally most of the time. Watching this movie was like staring at a wall for 123 minutes, completely pointless and a total waste of time, nothing but a meaningless daydream that good old Terry Gilliam had.… Expand

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4

ViolettJan 12, 2014

Quite stupid and boring, not fun at all. Idea probably is nice, but realisation ... Alien-looking girl was not impressive too. Last thing to say - RIP Heath Ledger ...

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4

susannahmJan 10, 2010

The effects were definitely cool, but I wouldn't recommend seeing this movie. It was rather disappointing. The story just didn't hold together. The relationships weren't clear or interesting between the characters. It seemed The effects were definitely cool, but I wouldn't recommend seeing this movie. It was rather disappointing. The story just didn't hold together. The relationships weren't clear or interesting between the characters. It seemed as if the entire back story was just left out. Visually appealing, but the effects didn't serve to further the plot, which always frustrates me. And the overall message, while hinting at the occult, was downright depressing.… Expand

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5

zekebJan 3, 2010

Starts well, but by the end has managed to under-utilize the Devil & over-utilize the Russian mob. As visually compelling as the last Willy Wonka, but way less emotionally affecting than the average Doctor Who. As for Heath, etc? A goatee is Starts well, but by the end has managed to under-utilize the Devil & over-utilize the Russian mob. As visually compelling as the last Willy Wonka, but way less emotionally affecting than the average Doctor Who. As for Heath, etc? A goatee is not acting; not that any of this is the actor's fault. There just isnt a script, and there are no consistent rules in the world of the Imaginarium. Too bad; the Brothers Grimm, while much hackier, was better.… Expand

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6

HyperSJan 13, 2010

Strange, but often more in a w.t.f. way rather than a mesmerizing way. Even the climax of five souls felt rushed, overly simplistic, and ultimately unsatisfying. Perhaps if I saw it again I'd find a treasure trove of clever societal Strange, but often more in a w.t.f. way rather than a mesmerizing way. Even the climax of five souls felt rushed, overly simplistic, and ultimately unsatisfying. Perhaps if I saw it again I'd find a treasure trove of clever societal based metaphors, but honestly... the movie isn't that entertaining to warrant it.… Expand

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6

WilliamCJan 17, 2010

Terry Gilliam, The mind behind the erratic and genius Fear and Loathing Las Vegas and Brazil, had his creative work cut out for him, when one of his stars and backbones passes away suddenly and quietly right in the middle of shooting of his Terry Gilliam, The mind behind the erratic and genius Fear and Loathing Las Vegas and Brazil, had his creative work cut out for him, when one of his stars and backbones passes away suddenly and quietly right in the middle of shooting of his latest film, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Though with the passing of Heath Ledger, it gave Gilliam a chance to explore a different approach to explain the fanciful story that he had created, built entirely around a man and a bet. Like most of Gilliam… Expand

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5

thelordoffilmAug 13, 2010

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus will always be remember for being Heath Ledger's last film, because of his timely death three different actor finish it for him and you can tell in the film the craft and dedication to finish it. Even onlyThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus will always be remember for being Heath Ledger's last film, because of his timely death three different actor finish it for him and you can tell in the film the craft and dedication to finish it. Even only it had a better understanding of the plot. The movie begins of an old man named Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Lee) who has a daughter and a midget as a best friend and a street performer. They have an act where they go in the streets and make people pay to go through a mirror where it shows their true self's. We quickly learn through Parnassus that he made a deal with the devil to gain immortality but any first born child to turn 16 was to be offered to him. The girl, Valentina is about to be 16 in a couple of days. Parnassus is trying his best to see if he can stop the devil played by Tom Waits. One day while driving they find a man trying to hang him self which is played by Heath Ledger. They rescue him and he happens to lose his memory. Parnassus thinks it's a trick from the Devil, maybe to do another deal to save his daughter. They use him as a performer in their act. If I keep going with the plot, this review will last forever. The plot is so damn unfocused that I wanted to scream out loud. The movie has so many ideas packed into one. There's a love story involved with Valentina and one of the street performers named Anton. Then there's Heath Ledger's character that has his own back story and when that comes into the light it's even more confusion. The narrative left me frustrated and confuse, I couldn't get into it. The movie is very well acted and I have no complaints about that. Every single actor is being true to their character and they do it very well. I liked how Colin Farrell, Jude Law, and Johnny Depp were there to fill in the shoes of Ledger. The special effects were very good and convincing but like I said before if only the narrative was more properly structured. The movie is worth to watch because of Ledger he was captivating.… Expand

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6

RyanGeeSep 28, 2010

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 hisFollowing 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.… Expand

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6

Ruler101Dec 2, 2010

Though this is Heath Ledger's last movie officially, It was confusing to the point of wondering if i should watch it again for it to make more sense. The movie was hard to keep up with but I do not know if thats what the point was or not. ItThough this is Heath Ledger's last movie officially, It was confusing to the point of wondering if i should watch it again for it to make more sense. The movie was hard to keep up with but I do not know if thats what the point was or not. It makes you think when you look at it and thats good for a movie to do.… Expand

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6

JonnyFendiJan 16, 2011

Wow!... I had to watch it three times to got the idea from thiz movie (substantively, It is very very rare there was movie that I could not understand straightaway). If you have not seen it and would like to watch it, my suggestion is youWow!... I had to watch it three times to got the idea from thiz movie (substantively, It is very very rare there was movie that I could not understand straightaway). If you have not seen it and would like to watch it, my suggestion is you better read the synopsis first. Thiz is ultimate Gilliam movie! Terry Gilliam, we knew him as a visionary and also peculiar Director at the same time. His previous movies including the sensational TWELVE MONKEYS (1995) and FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (1998). Even on thiz time, Gilliam arranged all scenes on awkward perspectives. He did not seem to care if the audience will understood or not, he just kept put all his scenes and told it boldly without proper explanations, moreover some of the dialogues were extremely poetic. A long time ago, Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) who was the man behind the travelling show, bargained with Mr. Nick (Tom Waits) for his immortality with youth to married the girl he liked. On the exchange, he must giveaway his daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole) on the age of sixteen. Now the time is near, how he saves back her soul from the devil. Lily Cole performance was surprisingly adorable and represented all the emotions very well. The most interesting part was thiz movie starred by the late Heath Ledger. By the time of his tragic death, thiz movie was not finished yet. So Gilliam creatively replaced Ledger character with three other actors all at once (Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrel). In the end actually, I like thiz movie, bcoz Gilliam is brave enough to keep his unique characteristic and makes all directions are unpredictable. But I also had a doubt about his survival on the coming years. How talented Director like him did not break the box office yet? Or maybe he is not interested to do it so. Like Ledger character said, The Imaginarium does not cost a thing, weare not here for the money?!

Visit My Blog on JONNY'S MOVEE: http://jonnyfendi.blogspot.com… Expand

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6

HalfwelshmanAug 30, 2012

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a visually stunning film even by Terry Gilliam's incredibly high standards, and is packed full of oddball energy and interesting ideas about dreams, imagination and reality. Christopher Plummer and LilyThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a visually stunning film even by Terry Gilliam's incredibly high standards, and is packed full of oddball energy and interesting ideas about dreams, imagination and reality. Christopher Plummer and Lily Cole impress, as does Tom Waits' mischievous villain, but Heath Ledger under-performs in his final screen appearance, and his "apples and pears" accent is nearly as bad as Dick Van Dyke's in Mary Poppins (though not quite as awful as Don Cheadle's in the Ocean's films). The film hinges on a number of fantastical trips into the titular imaginarium, and these largely work, with Ledger's character Tony played by a different actor for each sequence (a clever last-minute story change to accommodate Ledger's tragic and untimely death). The best imaginarium sequence is the one with Jude Law as Tony because of its sheer surrealism and Law's utterly batty performance. The film never even comes close to coming together as a whole however, and occasionally the convoluted plot becomes incomprehensible. Somehow Gilliam's zaniness keeps the film watchable throughout, and while you may not always know what exactly is going on, you'll feel like you've been on the ride of your life. Parnassus will certainly bemuse some viewers, frustrate others and amaze yet more (divisiveness is what Gilliam does best), and I'm really not sure which of those camps I belong in, as I feel confused, annoyed and mesmerised at various points, often changing my opinion of the film from scene to scene. It's more an oddity, a strangely captivating collage of elements rather than a complete package, but The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is an undeniably unique and memorable viewing experience.… Expand

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6

SpangleSep 11, 2017

Calling a Terry Gilliam film weird and imaginative may be a bit obvious, but it is perhaps never been more true in recent years than in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Hearkening back to his 1980s science fiction adventure fantasy workCalling a Terry Gilliam film weird and imaginative may be a bit obvious, but it is perhaps never been more true in recent years than in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Hearkening back to his 1980s science fiction adventure fantasy work in Time Bandits, Brazil, or the Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus takes audiences on a magical adventure to a world never quite seen before. Guided by an old man, his daughter, little person assistant, and a young guy, this journey is one that has all the right moments of Gilliam's classics and touches on very similar themes to those films from his "Trilogy of Imagination", but never really comes together. The film lacks that "it" factor and a sense of cohesion to make it all come together as a strong work that brings Gilliam's career back to the quality of his peak and not just the same feeling of whimsy. In essence, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus looks, sounds, and acts like a Terry Gilliam film directed by somebody inspired by Gilliam, not the director himself.

In a similar fashion to Time Bandits, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is consistently focused upon the concept of good and evil. Depicting Satan via the three-piece suit wearing Mr. Nick (Tom Waits) and positioning Doctor Parnassus as a monk committed to saving people, the film shows the two competing for souls throughout the film that has led to many bets. One such bet resulted in Parnassus' daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) being given to Mr. Nick when she turns 16 and with her birthday a few days away, Doctor Parnassus is in his final hours of trying to save her. When a mysterious stranger, Tony (Heath Ledger), is found hanging on a bridge that Parnassus and his gang were passing over, the opportunity to win back Valentina arises. Given a final bet - first to five souls gets Valentina - and having to rely on Tony to help win over the five he needs, Doctor Parnassus must change his show to win over the five souls and rely upon Tony far more than he should to be able to do so.

Inside the Imaginarium, visitors and possible souls are given a choice between good and evil, essentially. Operating with similar themes to Gilliam's Trilogy of Imagination, these choices can often be represented via materialism, promiscuity, or any other temptations. For example, a group of women enter the Imaginarium and to be able to receive self-fulfillment - which is the good path offered by Parnassus - they must shed their wealthy jewelry and accessories. Yet, the path to self-fulfillment is a challenging one. Visualized by having participants climb an incredibly tall set of stone stairs, the option is not one for the weak hearted. Given the challenge, the possibility of "easy ignorance" and fleeting fulfillment offered by Mr. Nick - in one trip, it is visualized as a motel run by Mr. Nick called the "One Nite Stand Motel" - can become impeccably appealing to those unwilling to make the arduous journey to fulfillment. The path chooses ultimately decides who gets their soul for the rest of eternity and, as a result, is a vital decision one must make when they enter the Imaginarium.

With this temptation taking center stage in this battle for souls, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus shows the dangers of giving into temptation and earthly pleasures instead of seeking fulfillment through some benevolent being. Imaginative in this pursuit, Gilliam never really innovates on ideas he previously presented, but nonetheless, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a film so outside of the box in conception that it is hard to find fault. The film's commitment to showing the perils of choosing riches and spoils on Earth is one that even impacts its protagonist and is a strong message, no matter how prevalent of an idea it is in Gilliam's work. The different approach offered in this film and the film's refusal to let anybody off the hook or to avoid their true nature is admirable, demonstrating Gilliam's dedication to show how to find some measure of morality in an inherently immoral - demonstrated via the bars and seedy clubs the troupe operates in - world.

However, where the film slips up is in the creation of its world and its themes. It has the beats, the feeling, and imagination, of all of Gilliam's films, but lacks the soul and the heart. It feels too haphazardly slapped together and clearly bore the brunt of its production problems regarding Ledger's death. It never feels like a cohesive work, instead operating as a film that has a set idea on what it wants to be and how it wants to look, but never really figured out how to make either work or how to make it all come together as an enjoyable film. Rather, it often feels incessantly frantic. Rushing through everything and simultaneously dragging - a tough feeling to describe or really create as a filmmaker - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus has all the bells and whistles, but never really clicks or has the whimsical soul… Expand

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5

NecromusDec 6, 2012

This is a movie for people initiated into mystery schools like the Freemasons, it's the story of the history of the Freemasons and the struggle between God and Satan for people's souls. It is centered around the occult meaning of the "HangingThis is a movie for people initiated into mystery schools like the Freemasons, it's the story of the history of the Freemasons and the struggle between God and Satan for people's souls. It is centered around the occult meaning of the "Hanging Man" tarot card, one of the most least understood cards in the Tarot Deck. The scene with all of the pictures of all of the famous people who have died on the boats floating down the river tell you about all the famous people the Illuminati/Freemasons have killed. That's about all I could figure out, I'm not a Freemason or initiate into a mystery school so it's mostly over my head too. See it if you want but find it for free. Don't give these elitist jerks that make movies like this to pay homage to the Illuminati your money.

If you want a more in-depth analysis of the occult symbols in this movie Google "vigilantcitizen.com imaginarium of doctor parnassus"… Expand

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6

Compi24Jul 5, 2015

Absurd plot threads, beautiful costumes, crazy sets, and janky special effects - for better or worse, "The imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus" is a Terry Gilliam movie, through and through.

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5

FilipeNetoNov 25, 2018

This was, I think, my first contact with Terry Gilliam's work. He's a director who seems to follow a "Tim Burton's style": oddly fantastic and adventurous films. But if Burton is more dark and gothic, Gilliam is lighter and merrier. Anyway,This was, I think, my first contact with Terry Gilliam's work. He's a director who seems to follow a "Tim Burton's style": oddly fantastic and adventurous films. But if Burton is more dark and gothic, Gilliam is lighter and merrier. Anyway, the truth is that this film became better known for being Heath Ledger's last work. Maybe you have seen it because of that! In fact, he died during filming and that forced Gilliam to adapt the movie to this sad circumstance. But let's be serious and face this: it was a fatality, but this isn't Ledger's magnum opus. And I understand people talk about him, but writing a whole review about an hour-and-half movie where you only talk about one actor is stupid. There are more interesting things in this film, and I'll try to focus on it.

When I started watching, I knew it was a fantasy movie but I had read only a brief note about it, so I wasn't sure what I was going to see. And suddenly, I felt myself thrown into a strangely unreal world. It all happens suddenly, when we're not expecting something like that, so my first feeling was rejection. I thought that everything was deeply implausible. But I went ahead and, as the movie rolled, I started to realize everything and I ended up enjoying it. Being unreal, imaginative and different, it ends up being very entertaining. The plot revolves around an old man, Doctor Parnassus, who lives in a permanent game with the Devil under the cover of a run-of-the-mill show, old-fashioned and unsuccessful. And then you have the several worlds behind the mirror, created by the minds of those who entered there, and that symbolical choice between good and evil. This will work if you don't question the script's verisimilitude and keep in mind, from the start, that it's a fantasy film and it has some moral and symbolical notions involved.

The cast was also good. Christopher Plummer is one of those actors who almost never fails, whatever the character. He was worn out and old enough to lend credence to his character's age; Ledger was also well, and Colin Farrell, Jude Law and Johnny Depp provided support for the scenes that he had no opportunity to film. These four actors were well enough but they all did an average performance, when compared to what they have done previously. Better than any of them Lily Cole, who has half (or less) of their fame, proven us that she can be a good actress, not just a pretty face... she was much better than some professional actresses with no talent I know, putting a lot of effort into her character. Andrew Garfield was also very good, although his character is not so sympathetic due to his destructive jealousy. Playing a character that we know, in advance, that people will hate is a gesture of professionalism. Tom Waits gave life to a sly, clever and elegantly cheating Devil.

Technically, I don't have much to talk about. If it weren't for the scenes inside the mirror and some elaborate costumes, the film would be within ordinary patterns. In fact, that old theater costumes are very interesting and scenes inside the "Imaginarium" were excellent, although it's obvious that it's CGI, and it's not even good CGI. But the worst of this movie wasn't it... it was the way the ending was written. A the end, the film tries to wrap all the narrative and give us a conclusion, but everything is poor and poorly done. Besides, there is no happy ending, but a semi-open ending in which we don't understand half of the things that happened.

This movie is good, has good script premises and a good cast. For those who like fantasy, it's probably a "must see". But it's so complex and creative that, in the end, it failed to give us a satisfactory conclusion to the story it created.… Expand

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5

geewahJan 12, 2021

Terry Gilliam's imagination is let loose here when someone should of reigned him in and told him a coherent plot is pretty important.

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