Depending upon your approach when you watch “The Prestige,” you will have one of two reactions during the movie. You will either see through it and will cynically point out its numerable flaws. Or, you will love it and will be enthralled by the razzle-dazzle of this magical, dark thriller.
I highly encourage you to not have the cynical attitude. The movie experience is much more enjoyable that way.
“The Prestige,” opening in wide release today, unravels a feud between two British magicians who are obsessed with outperforming the other. The movie opens with magician Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) witnessing the death of his rival, Robert Angier a.k.a. The Great Danton (Hugh Jackman), during Angier’s show. Friends early in their careers, they go their separate ways after a terrible accident when a trick they worked on goes horribly wrong. As each tries to rise in the magic profession, Borden and Angier keep crossing paths. Ruining and trying to steal the other person’s set will do that.
This is all I will say of the plot.
The movie works best if you know as little as possible.
It is fairly easy to criticize “The Prestige.” With a little effort, you may figure out the twists and you may guess the outcome well before it is revealed. You may conclude that its convoluted beginning is just an attempt to hide the thinly veiled twists. You may find the characters undeveloped and lacking in warmth.
And you may be right. But you know what? The movie still totally works.
“The Prestige” is one big electrifying ride through the land of cut-throat magicians. You won’t notice the criticisms because you will be too busy being mesmerized. Don’t try to figure out the twists or guess the outcome. Just allow this turn-of-the-century period piece to wash over you. Marvel at the gorgeous art direction and love that the movie reveals secrets to magic tricks.
The cast looks like they had a blast doing this movie, which is always fun to see. It also adds a nice juxtaposition to this dramatic movie.
Let Bale entrance you with his new, bloody accent. Get weak in the knees when Jackman flashes his smile. Go ahead and enjoy the supporting women, Scarlett Johansson as showgirl Olivia, Rebecca Hall as Borden’s wife Sarah and Piper Perabo as Angier’s wife Julia, all looking very pretty. Have an inexplicable warm feeling every time Michael Caine as magician manager and prop builder Cutter appears on-screen. Exclaim in recognition when you see David Bowie as real-life electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. Chuckle at Andy Serkis in his comical turn as Tesla’s assistant, Alley.
Director Christopher Nolan wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Priest.
The Nolans have crafted a superb thriller that should entertain audiences. They first grab you with Angier’s death. Next, they confuse you with their “convoluted” sequences. Then they keep you on your toes by throwing surprises at you every which way. And by this time, they will have you even when the movie swerves into science-fiction territory.
It’ll be interesting to see how “The Prestige” does at the box office.
Hopefully, for many people, “The Prestige” will live up to its name and will, indeed, have its desired effect.
