Ok, I admit it - ever since Batman Begins, I've been on the Chris Nolan bandwagon. There. Now that is out of the way.No, that movie with Edward Norton and Jessica Biel is not The Prestige; that movie is The Illusionist. I have not seen that film, but I know enough to tell you that it isn't anywhere near the same film as The Prestige. They just happened to both be about magicians and hit theaters at roughly the same period of time, hence the confusion.
Now I can tell you about The Prestige, Christopher Nolan's latest effort and second collaboration with both Christian Bale and Michael Caine (Batman Begins). The succinct review is that I really enjoy this film and you should see it! Of course, I cannot leave it at that. Allow me to lay out my thoughts.
I first became interested in The Prestige a few months before its release in theaters after I saw the trailer on the Internet. It looked somewhat dark, mysterious and stylish and I was further intrigued because I thought I had the drop on it; I thought I had it figured out. From what I saw in the preview I expected this movie would have something to do with supernatural powers. Let me simply say it wasn't what I was expecting... just like a magic trick should be.
The Prestige is a story about two, young competing magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale). They meet in Victorian London while working under a man called Cutter (Michael Caine) and their rivalry is born when a tragic accident during a magic act claims the life of Angier's wife. All signs point to Borden as the cause of her death, but when earnestly questioned by a grieving Angier, Borden is sincerely unsure of his actions during the trick claiming only that "he doesn't know." But how? How can a man who was part of the act be so completely unsure of what took place? Angier, furious at what he sees as a callous response, refuses to accept the answer he receives and the two men start down a long path of mutual mistrust, hatred and professional competition. One of my favorite aspects of this film was watching these two men continually sabotage each other's acts in an ever escalating display of one-upsmanship.
This film is built around the central themes of magic, showmanship and deception. The story, while focused on the lives of its central characters, also serves as an interesting "behind the scenes" look at the world of Victorian-era magic (whether accurate or not, I have no idea). We see how tricks are pulled off and it is all interesting while remaining critical to the plot's development, with the real magic being the story itself, originally an award-winning novel by Christopher Priest. The manner in which it is told and the plot executed is superb! Without spoiling too much, the story is what it presents, that is to say, we too are an audience sitting in front of a grand stage. So as the magician's voice at the beginning of the film asks "Are you watching closely?", it is vitally important that we do.
As the story progresses we watch Borden rise to stardom in London as he performs the fascinating "Transported Man" illusion to packed houses. Meanwhile, Angier, already bitter at the loss of his wife and his career in ruin, becomes obsessed with discovering Borden's method so that he can improve the trick and steal the coveted spotlight and fame for himself. But Angier finds himself at a dead end, unable to crack Borden's secret. What is the illusion?
What follows involves sabotage and espionage, a bit of a history lesson (involving David Bowie in a role that impressed the hell out of me!) and a dash of well-executed science fiction. In the end, a truly marvelous trick plays itself out for us the audience and the rivalry between Angier and Borden finds itself at a surprising climax, or prestige in magician's terms; a prestige well-worth the price of admission.
Some critics faulted the film for being a bit over-acted. I disagree. I didn't find it to be unnecessarily heavy, over-the-top or distracting in any way, but that's just me. I thought Nolan once again did a fine job of directing and crafting a story. It is however a complex story, often played out through flashbacks and chronologically out of order presentation, so your attention is required or you will easily find yourself utterly confused (but not as confused as with, say, Primer) The performances were solid all around and it is truly the presentation of the story itself that entertains.
If you appreciate a mystery and enjoy connecting the dots, this film is one you should add to your NetFlix queue. Your patience and attention are ultimately rewarded with an ending that delights and raises an eyebrow or two. I found this film to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience and plan on going back many times to enjoy it again and again. 9/10
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