Movie Description
British
director Christopher Nolan's (BATMAN BEGINS) eclectic resume gains
another interesting entry with THE PRESTIGE. The basic plot, which
concerns the rivalry between two magicians in early 20th-century
London, closely resembles a fellow 2006 movie--Edward Norton's THE
ILLUSIONIST--and the two films are sure to be closely compared. In
Nolan's film, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale bring the characters of
Robert Angier and Alfred Bordon to life. Robert and Alfred were young
magician apprentices together, but became bitter rivals as their
careers began to shape their adult lives and a terrible accident
claimed the life of Robert's wife. In the subsequent years Robert has
become wildly jealous of Alfred's superior talents, so in a last ditch
attempt to steal some artistic ground he sends his assistant, Olivia
(Scarlett Johansson), to infiltrate his rival's lair and steal the
secret to a spectacular trick called "The Transported Man."
Nolan's film twists and turns down a number of
unexpected avenues as it flits back and forth between numerous time
periods, creating a movie that needs to be watched as closely as the
tricks his leading characters perform. Bale and Jackman perfectly
execute their roles, winding up the tension to an unbearable degree as
they willfully enter into some dangerously competitive patterns of
behavior. Michael Caine makes his second appearance in a Nolan film,
almost reprising his role of Alfred in BATMAN BEGINS by playing Cutter,
Jackman's mentor; and Johansson pouts and flounces across the elaborate
sets like a classic Hollywood screen siren. Stylistically, THE PRESTIGE
is full of dark, gloomy colors and a palpable feeling of menace, which
is an impeccable visual match for the viewer's growing unease as the
protagonists push each other to increasingly ridiculous lengths. It's
not an easy film to digest, but Nolan's movie offers intelligent and
challenging fare that will likely reveal further cinematic magic on
repeated viewings
Industry Reviews
"[I]ntricate
and elaborate....It has a satisfyingly puzzlelike structure, zipping
around in time and scattering clues throughout its busy scenes and
frames." New York Times - A. O. Scott (10/20/2006)
"[A]n
aggressively devious sleight-of-hand thriller directed by Christopher
Nolan, the magic, even at its most clever, is powered by currents --
sometimes literal ones -- of electricity and danger." -- Grade: B+ Entertainment Weekly - Owen Gleiberman (10/27/2006)
4
stars out of 5 -- "Nolan has crafted a cinematic sleight of hand that's
as intriguing as it is dazzling....Like all the best magicians, Nolan
shows much but tells very little." Total Film - Robert James (12/01/2006)
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "Nolan directs the film exactly like a great trick, so you want to see it again the second it's over." Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (11/02/2006)
"Lurching from saturnine cockney idealist to domestic tyrant, Bale is especially charismatic." Sight and Sound - Graham Fuller (12/01/2006)
"[The
characters'] grudge matches foreground the twists and turns of Nolan's
customary looped narrative as acts of aggression, asserting the brutal
prerogative of the storyteller, always one step ahead." Film Comment - Film Comment Staff (01/01/2007)
4
stars out of 5 -- "THE PRESTIGE is a clever and complex film that
revels in its dark material and slip in enough twists to keep even the
most cynical viewers on the edge of their seats." Ultimate DVD - Natalie Braine (05/01/2007)
