Movie Review: Magic (1978)

Magic is basically a feature-length version of the Twilight Zone episode “The Dummy.” It’s not quite “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy” from Tales from the Crypt. It’s a psychological horror movie about a magician/ventriloquist (Anthony Hopkins), who feels like he’s losing his mind while on the verge of major success.

He also tries to reignite a relationship with someone he let slip away (Ann-Margret), and the movie’s far more of a romance and love triangle than you’d probably expect.

It’s impossible to overstate just how great Anthony Hopkins is in this movie. Everything he does is so believable, and this is not an easy role. Hell, he even does the voice of the doll, which is awesome and completely distinct from his own.

I do feel like this movie could have used something more. The last act let me down a bit, but in part because the first two acts were so strong. The movie benefits from the tremendous talent in front of and behind the camera, but still feels like it’s missing something.

Rating: 7/10