The Prestige

A complex story of long and bitter rivalry between two talented magicians at turn of the century London grows increasingly dangerous as their desire to better one another reaches perilous levels of obsession. Director Chris Nolan is now something of a critical darling, as well as the helmer of many a movie buff's wet dream; almost inevitably, The Prestige carries that weight consistently, and with a predictable amount of intelligence and flair. Nolan's direction is remarkably assured, his script (written with his brother) is well structured with a solid grasp of a well thought-out narrative, and his visual style is both impressive and non-intrusive, and doesn't distract from the plot or characters. From the very first frame we're told to pay very close attention, and this is true of the whole film, as we're left guessing what the real trick behind Borden's (Bale) elusive prestige is. We spend an equal amount of time with Angier's (Jackman) brilliant showman, who makes up for his lack of talent with pure spectacle as he travels far and wide to make his show the number one draw in town. Michael Caine's Cutter is the moral centre of the film; as well as clearing up some messy narrative, he is the bridge between the two magicians that neither seem willing to cross, and his performance is all the more impressive for the subtle human nature he instills in him. If The Prestige has a flaw, it's Scarlett Johansson, as she's simply too high profile to become fully invested in her character. Her performance feels awkward and forced, whereas Piper Perabo shines in her small role, giving us very little time to care about her character, but managing to do just that regardless. While some might find proceedings frustrating as it moves along at a fairly slow pace, most will appreciate the slow build-up by the time its shocking conclusion comes around.