The Prestige - 2006In my review of The Illusionist, I made reference to the fact that as a fan of magic, I tend to set the bar rather high for movies about magic. The Illusionist didn't deliver. The Prestige did. It was dripping with intrigue and jaw dropping surprises. At times I thought I was lost or had missed something, only to find out that a full explanation was coming.
The movie was told predominately in flashback form - but often tripped in and out of time sequences. Some have expressed issue with this cinematic technique, but here it served to keep us involved in the story line, wondering what an event meant in the future; only to go back and have it explained. Its a movie that comes together bit by bit to the crystal clear conclusion.
The two magicians; Robert Angier (played by Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (played by Christian Bale) start out as magician apprentices but become bitter rivals after a tragic incident one night during the Chinese Water Torture trick. This rivalry becomes obsession for the two men that runs through their lives and takes everyone down with them. Borden develops a trick called "The Transported Man" that drives his competitor mad with knowing how its done.
The movie twists and turns and drives us mad at times as well. The prestige is the finality of the magic trick; the showing of the bird that disappeared, the assistant that went in the water tank. The film's prestige is revealed in the end and was not contrived or anti climatic.
There is a visit to America to contact Nikola Tesla, who may have the secret to The Transported Man. Tesla is played by David Bowie, although with a bit of overacting. How interesting to tell of the rivalry of the time of Tesla and Einstein over AC and DC electricity.
Again I see Piper Perabo showing us remarkable versatility. I liked her in 10th & Wolf - really liked her here.
Spoiler Ahead...
This movie shows us obsessive love - and obsessive hatred - played by the same person. Imagine Bale's performance here. The script requires him to alternately love & hate his wife. He must say "I love you." to her and at times really love her and at times not. I bought it, hook, line and sinker. I think I'll Tivo it again just to go over the thread again...
See these blog reviews as well.
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