Great actors don’t just impersonate, they embody personalities for a living and you’ve got to wonder how much of their soul dies with each new character they bring to life? When that soul passes… is there a red carpet leading into the fiery depths of Hell, an angel starter pack (halo, harp and wings) waiting for them at the pearly gates or do their souls belong to the Imaginarium?  Heath Ledger played The Joker to perfection in The Dark Knight, a role which prompted a haunting warning from Hollywood shark and original Joker, Jack Nicholson.

Many would agree with Nicholson’s damning words after Ledger was found stone cold in his hotel room during the filming of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus just weeks before the release of The Dark Knight. However, all speculation rested on his role as The Joker and no one even really questioned the level of his involvement with The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, a psychedelic Terry Gilliam film about the very essence of being, looking beyond the mirror…

Catch the rest of the review and the trailer after the jump…

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is an intriguing film alright: what Terry Gilliam film isn’t… with Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Time Bandits and Monty Python & The Holy Grail to his credit. Imaginarium follows the misadventures of a traveling carnival sideshow “family” as their supernatural mirror gateway to one’s imagination is put in jeopardy after they rescue a wanted criminal and go head-to-head in a soul-grabbing game with the devil incarnate.

A substantial part of the intrigue of Imaginarium has been aroused by Heath Ledger’s untimely passing, a factor you just can’t ignore in the follow-up performance to his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight. Luckily, Gilliam was able to extract the bulk of Ledger’s live-action performance before his death, which probably motivated the film-makers to push on. However, this left a large gap in the green screen Imaginarium scenes where Ledger’s character features quite strongly. As something of a tribute to the late great actor, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell stepped up to complete the movie.

As Tony enters the world of imagination, his facial features transform into each of the actors starting with Depp, then progressing to Law and later Farrell. The three “understudy” substitutes embrace the role, trying to energise their performances as Ledger would have played “Tony in Wonderland” and even donating their earnings to Ledger’s daughter, Matilda, in order to secure her economic future.

So what about The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? Does it function as a stand-alone film? Yes, Gilliam has managed to salvage the magical mystery tour by blending the transformation performances into the film quite masterfully, although you can’t help but wonder how it would’ve worked with Depp as the only Imaginarium Tony.

“Nothing is permanent, not even death.”

The imaginarium experiences are as weird and wacky as Gilliam’s wildly hilarious and downright creepy stop-start inserts for Monty Python. Gilliam’s own imagination is translated in vivid, psychedelic imagery based on famous artworks, which reflects the innermost dreams and imagination of the occupant with Tony as host. It stays upbeat, funny and surreal without going down too many dark alleys into Lynchland territory… making it less scary than Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland or Coraline even.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is fantastic and could be described as a glorious mess. It’s is all over the place much like The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, starting in present day London and whisking itself into the deepest, darkest pockets of the mind. The bohemian Imaginarium crew consist of: the rock solid Christopher Plummer as Dr. Parnassus, the enchanting Lily Cole as Valentina, Boy A’s Andrew Garfield as Anton, Verne “Mini-me” Troyer as Percy and the sinister Tom Waits as Mr. Nick. The ensemble are well-cast and their supporting performances enhance Gilliam’s vision.

Although without a consistent lead in Heath Ledger, every character comes across as a supporting act forcing the audience to fall back on the script and visual effects. The script is imaginative, dark and well-written, but ultimately too ambitious… opting for elaborate “dreamscapes” in a 50/50 divide between reality and imagination. As a result, the surreal environments are budgeted down a notch… a factor, which must have become even more critical when the film suffered the loss of its principal star, Heath Ledger. The visuals serve their purpose and have a touch of Gilliam, but are second-rate in comparison with even some of Gilliam’s older works with the Pythons.

The story does have a rewritten feel to it, making the whole fantasy adventure a little inconsistent and haphazard. The sideshow’s on-the-road travels give the illusion of narrative progression, but all that’s really changing is their interpersonal relationships, their welfare and Tony’s face. The imaginative escapades are purely fascinating like looking down a kaleidoscope. Without an engaging story and a sense of consistency it all crumbles around them in a powerful display of mild peril.

Great performances, interesting characters and psychedelic visuals may hold your attention, but you won’t leave The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus as satisfied as some of its flustered on-screen patrons would suggest. Sadly, the end result is slightly disappointing and makes The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus seem more like Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium for adults.

The bottom line: Fascinating.

Release Date: 11 June, 2010

Watch The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus Trailer

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