Movie Rewind: The Prestige (2006)

Director: Chris Nolan (The Dark Knight, Momento)

Cast: Hugh Jackman (The Fountain, X-Men), Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Psycho), Michael Caine (The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Match Point), Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly, Cheaper by the Dozen), David Bowie (Labyrinth)

The Deal: Robert Angier (Jackson) and Alfred Borden (Bale) were assistants to a magician, but after an accident caused the death Angier's wife Julia (Perabo), he blames Borden. The two of them go on to be rivals as the top two magicians in London. Their goals become to sabotage the other, and Angier becomes obsessed with one of Borden's successful tricks, sparking an ever escalating series of revenge, resulting in rather tragic consequences.

Thoughts: This is one of the most entertaining and complex films I've ever seen, requiring many additional viewings to finally catch all of the pieces to the puzzle. This is not to say the ending is ambiguous, but it would be impossible to catch every hint and bit of foreshadowing in order to truly understand the main aspects of the film without multiple viewings. Each character has a slew of tricks up their sleeve for the other, leaving the viewer to guess what could possibly come next. You'll finally think you've figured it out only to have an even greater twist remaining at the end.

The performances in the film were quite excellent. This is my favorite performance of Jackman's, and his best one to date. I've grown to expect a lot from Bale, and his performance here does not disappoint. Both of them create an excellent rivalry, and their performances continually feed off of one another. Johansson isn't necessarily a dynamite actress in the performance category, but she is quite polished and does a wonderful job as the beautiful magician's assistant. Caine is excellent in his role as well as with his narration, and Bowie is satisfying in his role as Tesla.

This is a top five film of mine. The plot is complex, but not so much so as to lose its audience. It maintains a high level of suspense throughout, and is chock full of brilliant twists throughout. I've seen this film a minimum of five times, and each viewing is just as entertaining as the last because there is so much built into the story. I always find something new I hadn't noticed previously, and it just adds to the awe-factor you get when you finally discover something important. 

Verdict: An outstanding story full of twists and turns. The performances are excellent, and the film never fails to entertain and enlighten even after multiple viewings. ☆☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: The Illusionist (2006), Momento (2000), Donnie Darko (2001)