The Prestige

Year: 2006
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson

Have you ever watched Memento? It's also directed by Nolan, a story of a man played by Guy Pearce, who suffers from short-term memory loss, trying to find the man who killed his wife. The film moves backwards, from the end to the beginning. This film is a masterpiece, because the way Nolan tells his story, revealing layer after layer, piece by piece until the very end is mind-bending, yet so alluring. The man is a genius. I pray I'll get to watch that film again someday.

But for now, let's focus on this one, Nolan's latest treasure. The Prestige takes place in London, at the turn of the century. Two friends, who are aspiring magicians, engage themselves in a battle that is both personal and professional. Each of them is obsessed in becoming the better magician.

The movie begins with a murder trial, where one of the magicians in question, Alfred Borden, is accused of killing the other magician, Robert Angier. From there, the story moves back and forth through time. We see flashbacks from both protagonists, going back to how both Robert and Alfred learned their trade from the magic mentor of sorts, John Cutter. A particular magic trick involving Robert's wife ends in tragedy, and Robert blames Alfred for it. That tragedy is the catalyst that starts the rivalry between them.

Robert sabotages one of Alfred's shows. Alfred retaliates in kind, then comes up with a trick called the Transported Man, a trick that Robert can't figure out. With Cutter's help, Robert copies the act, but Alfred sabotages his show. This makes Robert even more determined to discover Alfred's secret, and he resorts to underhanded tactics to get them. His quest leads him to America searching for a scientist named Tesla, who may be able to help him construct a machine that will allow him to perfect the trick.

If you think I've given away too much, guess again. There is still a lot to discover from this point on. But I'll say this much: Nolan did great. He flips the story back and forth effortlessly between the past and present, from both Robert and Alfred's point of view. If you were not paying attention, you'd probably be lost. But stay with the plot and you're assured of a thrill of a ride.

Performance wise, Jackman is believable as the obsessed Robert, but I feel that the character gets darker towards the end, and he could have done a little better with that. Or maybe I'm just too used to seeing him as Wolverine in the X-Men films, so it's hard to see him in a different light. Bale on the other hand is intense as Alfred. Bale plays him with a real dark like quality to him. You never know what he really is about, until you get to the end. And what can I say about Michael Caine that hasn't already been said? He's not a two-time Oscar winner for nothing. He plays Cutter magnificently, being enigmatic, wise and fair all at once. Scarlett Johansson however is not so effective as Olivia, the assistant to both magicians. Her role isn't large enough to satisfy the plot.

If you like being challenged, go see this. There's a surprise waiting at the end. The cast had said in interviews that the story is built to look like one big magic trick, and it's true. Just remember the tagline: are you watching closely? (4.5/5)