Death Defying Acts: Critic Reviews

Death Defying Acts, a fictionalized love story involving Harry Houdini, could be a sweet little discovery if only the relationship at the core of it were more convincing.

The movie is over-schematic, slow-moving and over-furnished. It never seems to come alive with any believable interplay of characters; the movie locks itself into a watertight tank of a premise, and the handcuffs won't come off.

Zeta-Jones and Pearce don't have much chemistry, the script lacks any significant depth and the direction feels oddly uninspired.

Sounding intriguing enough in concept, Death misses the mark onscreen in a way adaptations of deceptively cinematic novels often do.

Director Gillian Armstrong is more attentive to decor than the story, which never seems in a hurry to get anyplace in particular and concludes with a thud.

All a 'what if' movie needs to win me over are some lush costumes and production design, a smart casting choice or two, and a really ridiculous basic idea. Death Defying Acts obliges on all fronts.

What the film loses in momentum as the romance takes over, it gains in sex appeal as its two attractive actors make their own kind of magic.

Houdini's mission to debunk fake spiritualists is hijacked by this wholly fraudulent love story. There's not a moment in the film that feels honest and uncontrived.

It's pretty but dull, with Pearce and Zeta-Jones never convincing as supposedly hot-for-each other rivals.

It's all a touch undercooked and dull.

It's a shame that the story itself feels like smoke and mirrors with nowhere to go, wanting to have its cake and eat it too.

It's a movie that seems to have been lavished with care and performed with gusto, yet its tale of fakery sounds its own knell: there's not a believable moment in it.

It all looks pretty enough - but well before the end you'll be plotting your escape.

Despite the confused tone and underwhelming romance, this pretty little picture entertains in the main thanks to the intriguing subject matter and top turns from Zeta-Jones and Ronan.

Death Defying Acts is a hugely enjoyable, impressively directed drama with superb performances and an emotionally engaging script. Terrific final scene too. Highly recommended.

All in all, it's a bit of a snore that falls back on romance when all else fails.

And while less magical than The Prestige, it's perfectly charming matinee fare.

A watchable, enjoyable but fairly forgettable film, Death Defying Acts has plenty of smoke and mirrors and not quite enough magic.

A pleasant, frothy period confection that's as decorative and insubstantial as Zeta Jones's character.

This is better than the dull Edward Norton vehicle The Illusionist, all involved should have conjured up a companion piece to Christopher Nolan's The Prestige.

excepting experimental films, plot is a key reason we watch movies. Without an interesting one, an hour and a half of competent filmmaking becomes about an hour and 25 minutes of boredom.

Perhaps the film isn't a grandiose statement of splintered lives, but it's an agreeable drama, best when it stays close to the decomposing heart of a professional liar.

Director Gilliam Anderson doesn't distinguish this generic romance from a thousand other costumed bodice rippers -- is a kinky handcuff scene too much to ask?

...a decidedly minor addition to the resume of Australian director Gillian Armstrong...The film moves quickly enough, and it's a passably glossy entertainment, but, as Houdini, Pearce is too young...

Pearce's boys-adventure take on the vaudeville legend is a hoot, though not nearly as laughable as the dialogue or Zeta-Jones's pitiful attempts at basic emoting.