Review of The Magician

The Magician (I) (2005)
8/10
Budget debut works a treat
11 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
In the same mould as Clerks, we follow the life of hit-man Ray, who prides himself on making people disappear. Set in a period where underworld violence was big news in Melbourne, this movie attempts to give an insight into the people behind the crime and not the crime itself.

Just like Clerks, the characters debate trivial facts - such as Clint Eastwood's CV, the price of eating faeces - and it is in these conversations that we discover Ray's personality. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Scott Ryan (scriptwriter, directer and star) has restricted what we discover about Ray. We don't hear Ray justifying his line of work and we certainly don't find out the fate of his target, Tony (who offers to pay off Ray), almost until the end.

Whilst the minimalistic feel of the photography may make some cringe, it certainly adds to the situation of the movie. The real winner in this movie is in the script and it's delivery. Without seeming to over-act, Ryan and Ben Walker's Tony give a realistic depiction of the situation.

Scott Ryan has created an debut that (with a four figure budget) has fascinated Australian film-goers and kept us wondering what's next.
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