I've just seen the trailer for Number 23, the Joel Schumacher directed thriller with Jim Carrey, Danny Huston and Virginia Madsen, and it looks extremely intriguing.

Already the film is getting some excellent comments, and it's being described as a great performance from Carrey and a surprisingly strong direction from the man who gave us the worst Batman films ever. That said he also gave us St. Elmo's Fire and The Lost Boys way back in...ah...oh, there was 8MM more recently...

Have a look at the trailer over at [WMV:QT] and see what you think. I'm inclined to believe this could be Carrey at his acting best, throwing aside that tired comedy part of himself that we just don't want to see anymore on screen and doing what we really should see more of him doing, stunning acting.

Madsen is a personal favourite of mine too, with Huston coming close behind, and the story looks like an excellent descent into madness which could well twist away before our eyes. I'm definitely in, and AICN are impressed after they gave us the trailer link and also have a sneak review of an early screening.

Carrey and Madsen are wonderful...they ground this dark psychological thriller in humanity when it could easily fly off far-fetched. Even at that I heard a few unintended laughs near the end. Don’t examine the plot too closely...The Number 23 is compelling and held my attention all the way through.

That said they do find the middle somewhat confusing and they couldn't get as emotionally involved as they wanted, but he does compare Carrey's performance to James Stewart in Vertigo, and that is praise indeed. Perhaps since this early screening it's been tightened up? We can only hope, because this trailer makes it looks superb, just see that closing line.