THE PRESTIGE

The Prestige may just be the best movie I’ve seen this year and will most definitely be added to my list of favorites. Batman Begins really made me a fan of both director Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bale. With The Prestige, Nolan again teams with Bale and Michael Caine from Batman Begins and throws in Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson and even David Bowie to make one terrifically cast movie.

The opening line of the movie asks you to watch closely as the camera pans over a pile of top hats strewn upon the ground. If that wasn’t enough to intrigue me, we then witness the death of Angier (Jackman) as Borden (Bale) looks on. From there the story gracefully flows between the present as Bale’s character faces trial for Angier’s murder to the past which shows us just what led these characters to their eventual fates.

I can’t begin to describe all the reasons why I loved this movie. I guess I could start by saying a little about the fascinating cast of characters. Alfred Borden as played by Bale is what you might call the magician’s magician. Borden is all about the craft. He isn’t all that concerned with entertainment but more with technique and furthering his trade. In contrast magician Rupert Angier as played by Jackman is all about the showmanship. Until he becomes obsessed with one of Borden’s illusions, he is mainly concerned with the audience’s reaction. Nolan uses this point to make some subtle statements about film or just about any form of entertainment. Due to an event early in their respective careers, Borden and Angier constantly battle to outdo the other sometimes in some very harsh ways. Michael Caine plays the magicians’ mentor early in their careers and continues to aid Angier throughout his life. I can’t really say much about Scarlett Johnasson without giving things away, but she does a fantastic job of playing a character important to both Angier and Borden. David Bowie even has a significant role as Nikola Tesla, who like Angier understands a good bit about obsession and rivalries as he competes against Thomas Edison.

Besides the fascinating rivalry between Borden and Angier, it is the smaller moments and the ways in which these characters’ lives are affected that really help to elevate this movie to the next level. One of the most compelling subplots revolves around the love between Borden and his wife. What starts as a subtle thing in their relationship ends up being the key to one of the movie’s biggest reveals. And it is handled superbly.

Early in the movie Bale’s character reveals the secret of a trick to his wife which ends up leaving her disappointed. Luckily, Nolan avoids the same fate with the films final reveal. Instead I was simply left amazed. Like most great magic tricks, in the end the truth is revealed and the clues to the movie’s secret had been staring you in the face the entire time.

Let me ask you…where else can you find a movie that features two rival magicians, Tesla and a love story to boot?