"The Prestige" is lacking it

Rating: 1/10 (23 October 2006)

I'm a Hugh Jackman fan. A few years ago on a business trip to New York City,the hosting firm presented me with a top notch mezzanine seat to see him in the "Boy from Oz." Never did I see any single actor command a stage as he did. Hugh deserved every accolade awarded him. The show itself was quite good but Jackman was BETTER than the show. The problem is that this stage genius makes lousy movies and "The Prestige" proves it.
First of all, it cannot compare to this years excellent "Illusionist." Not even close. "Prestige" was filmed in the dark--by that I mean every scene was dank, dark,ominous,creepy, crawly and downright annoying. I felt like I was sitting in an unlit cellar. The plot was highly confusing. The English brogues were as thick as mud and difficult to understand. The acoustics was awful. They needed Tesla like a hole in the head. All those top hats lying around ranked stupider than stupid. Novocaine was better than the usually brilliant Michael Caine. With all these doubles, maybe triples running around, I felt as if I were at a World Series game. Scarlett Johansson was just a pretty face and figure--nothing more. As far as I was concerned, the movie was nothing more than a jumbled up confusing mess unworthy of my time and money.