Nothing is what it seems

Rating: 8/10 (13 April 2007)

Maybe it is to the detriment of The Illusionist but I actually watched The Prestige first and found that film to be far more entertaining. That's not to say that this film is not entertaining by any means. I did enjoy it for what it is: a well made, period piece that keeps the viewer guessing until the final reveal. The film's plot is fairly straightforward. We begin with the arrest of Eisenheim (Edward Norton). The story then reverses telling what has transpired to bring us here. Finally, once it has caught up, the rest of the tale is told. Edward Norton is fine as Eisenheim and the ubiquitous Paul Giamatti turns in another great performance as his nemesis Chief Inspector Uhl. Jessica Biel is so-so as the lady caught in the middle, while Rufus Sewell turns in a you love to hate him performance as Crown Prince Rudolf. While The Illusionist is good, I found the complexities of The Prestige to make a far better film. The best part of this film is without a doubt, the superb score by Philip Glass. It rivals his work on Candyman as his his best film music to date.