Powdered wigs, foggy skies, and filthy streets bring early 1900’s London to perfection in the 2006 thriller “The Prestige.” Director Christopher Nolan displays a perfect setting, and a star filled cast turns out excellent performances in a movie based on Christopher Priest’s award winning novel of the same name.
“The Prestige” deals with an interesting concept, and one not often talked about outside the darkened alleys of the entertainment underworld. The movie broaches the bounds of a professional rivalry between two magicians, and the increasingly brutal consequences their constant attempts to outshine the other bring.
“The Prestige” is told in flashback form, with occasional narratives offered by senior stage engineer John Cutter (Michael Caine) who explains the terminology of the films title in relation to the world of magic. “Making something disappear isn’t enough. You have to bring it back. The 3rd part of every magic trick is called the prestige.”
Robert Angier and Alfred Borden are feuding magicians played to stunning perfection by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. The actors are both known more for superhero machismo with roles like Wolverine and Batman, but both men display immense inner talents in the whimsical roles of the magicians.
After a tragic incident with a trick gone bad, Robert Angier joins John Cutter in order to defeat Borden on stage. The joust between the pair quickly escalates to obsession as they go back and forth in a perilous quest to outdo the other, each time with more dangerous tricks and collateral damage left in the wake.
I loved the atmosphere in “The Prestige” in which the viewer will find themselves quickly immersed in 1900 London. The stage itself is brought to life in a way reminiscent of a Dickens tale. As you watch, you’ll feel like you are witnessing actual footage of a long gone time. The placement is perfect for the characters and the story.
Hugh Jackman does a fantastic job in the role of Robert Angier. Jackman brings a quality to the character that reflects his true nature; we see a happy man who loves performing magic on stage quickly devolve into a crazed stalker as he becomes warped with trying to beat his rival. Christian Bale is equally effective as Alfred Borden, a seemingly superior magician who lacks the charm and charismatic stage presence of Angier.
Scarlett Johansson brings godlike beauty to the table in the role of Olivia – assistant and lover of Robert Angier, with Michael Caine serving as a perfect elder statesman, offering constant words of wisdom as the story progresses. “The secret impresses no one, the trick is everything.”Simple and brilliant.
Musician David Bowie appears as well, in the role of Nikola Tesla, an inventor who creates devices used by the magicians. Bowie manages to showcase talents outside of the music industry in the performance.
My biggest complaints are the length (its run time is 2:10 but gets a bit long and tired towards the end) and the inclusion of the science fiction element which renders an otherwise plausible tale moot.
As we watch the two magicians battle it out with parlor tricks and deadly feats, otherworldly elements seem a touch out of place.
Despite that, “The Prestige” is an excellent film that offers great acting, a marvelous setting, and a truly harrowing concept. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale deliver like the top billed talent they are.
The story is one of uniqueness, and the acting is as close to perfect as one will find in a movie. You’ll never look at a simple card trick the same way again.
by – Matt Christopher
