The Prestige
As a kid my parents took me to see a cabaret show that featured a magician. The whole experience left an impression on me what with the topless showgirls and magic. Really, it’s quite a combination, you should try it. Anyway, we were lucky enough to be right by the stage and at that close range my family and I thought for sure we would be able to see all the mirrors and trap doors. Suffice it to say we couldn’t and it was all the more shocking to have someone make an entire helicopter appear from nothing not more than five feet in front of us. It really instills a healthy respect for the craftsmanship of illusion. That essentially is what The Prestige is all about, although a lot darker and minus the breasts.
Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are turn of the century magicians, who after the onstage death of Angier’s wife due to Borden’s possible negligence become bitter rivals. Borden is a technical perfectionist while Angier is a master showman interested mostly with the reaction of the crowd. When Borden reveals his greatest trick, The Transported Man, Angier goes on a quest to find out the secret. Surely it can’t be as simple as his mentor Cutter (Michael Caine) claims. Ending up in the United States, Angier asks for the assistance of Nikola Tesla (David Bowie), who after making him wait sends the magician back to London with his answers.
Teaming up with Bale and Caine seems to be a good plan for Christopher Nolan. It worked out well for Batman Begins and it works here as well. Jackman makes a nice addition to the crew. Unfortunately, much like in The Black Dahlia Scarlett Johansson does a fine job but through no fault of her own seems more like set decoration. As Olivia Wenscombe the assistant who offers to give away the magicians’ secrets, it feels as though she’s just part of the illusion. The high point for pretty much anyone who sees this film will be David Bowie as Tesla. That’s just a genius bit of casting. Who better to play the enigmatic inventor than Aladdin Sane? I could watch an entire movie based around him and his assistant (Andy Serkis) taking on Thomas Edison.
This is one moody, dark period piece. I really don’t see a lot of audience members not liking this one. Some people will be left scratching their heads, but, really, isn’t that what a magician is supposed to do. However, the story structure may give some whiplash. The idea that Borden is reading Angier’s diary that is about Angier reading Borden’s diary is a bit muddled, but it’s hard to complain since that, like most things in this film are all part of the misdirection.
Don’t go into this movie thinking there’s some big twist ending for you to figure out. Where’s the fun in that? Even if you try, it won’t make a difference. You’ll be too busy with just one part of this story to unravel the whole mystery. Besides, nobody likes the guy who is always trying to figure out the magician’s trick.
The Grade
- Story: B+
- Acting: B
- Visuals: B-
- Originality: A
- Enjoyability: A-
- Overall: B+
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