While I particularly adore Ledger & Depp (& sometimes Law) as magnificently gifted actors, the storyline & plot jumped. There were holes - pockets of information not provided that would've proved useful in understanding the film better. Tons of symbolism goes over the head because the general audience is not attuned to the meaning of these things (so a little explanation would have helped). In particluar, Tony's pipe, the markings on his head, the relevance of The Hanged Man (is it a good/bad omen? does it influence the Doctor's decision on whether to take Tony in?), & why Mr. Nick could not "get rid" on Tony on his own. That being said, I know from personal experience how difficult it is to complete a project like this when a major actor dies during production - and this may account for the holes. After all, they were only able to use Depp/Law/Farrell inside the Imaginarium. What I liked: the film inspired me to learn more about those symbols (& much googling ensued).

If you enjoyed Avatar, you're probably not smart enough to enjoy this movie. Unlike Avatar, this movie is legitimately visually imaginative, and features an array of enjoyable performances, notably Christopher Plummer's Parnassus and Tom Waits as Mr. Nick. If you require a cohsive plot, this movie probably is not for you as this film intentionally meanders, and although it seems to beg for an allegorical analysis, I'm not sure that works. Still, this was a lot of fun, and the sort of movie that might reward repeat viewings.

Absolutely outstanding masterful creative genius

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassum is a brilliantly unusual, idiosyncratic film full of amazing visuals. It shows a mind-boggling imagination at work, flowing from one colorful, surreal moment to the next. Though the characters' journeys are internal, the movie travels everywhere, through incredibly varied landscapes, and it feels epic. But it doesn't just do all this in a remote, detached way. It has an off-beat sense of humor and despite a very free narrative flow, Terry Gilliam has a great command of dramatic and emotional tools, and you get swept up in the experience. Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, and Jude Law stepping in and playing Heath Ledger's role (he passed away during the filming) actually works out perfectly and all the actors do a great job, including the young principals in Christopher Plummer's traveling theater troupe.

Great movie, in the tradition of the European surrealist film makers, like Fellini. Beautiful visuals and color, great fantasy scenes, phenomenal cast. Highly creative and unconventional. More serious than Gilliam's previous films, but still plenty of action, dwarfs, humor, fight scenes, slum scenes, etc. If you want a conventional plot and dislike psychedelic mind bending stuff that's outside of the box, you might not go for this. If you want a thinking person's film that's beautiful to see--go. Great performances from the entire cast--Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Lily Cole, et. al. Terry Gilliam is a complete original.