One of the best this year.

Rating: 9/10 (20 October 2006)

The Prestige a Review by Lacy McKay
The newest Christopher Nolan (Memento, Batman Begins) release is The Prestige, out today. It is an intricate story with delicate details that require the viewer's undivided attention.
The Prestige details an intense rivalry of two turn-of-the-century magicians. This rivalry is ignited by Alfred Borden's (played by Christian Bale) accidental (or is it?) killing of Rupert Angier's (Hugh Jackman) magician's assistant wife. From the moment she dies, the two set out to out do each other in increasingly dangerous and awe-inspiring tricks. Their passions take them from London to Denver and back again. There are so many swaps in advantage that the viewer is almost challenged to figure out the next.
Christopher Nolan does here what he does best: provides a chronologically disconjointed film with a story that almost instantly draws you into a world you are only vaguely familiar with. Also, as per Nolan's pattern, the story is never what it seems. The obsession of Angier turns dark and scary. His degeneration of his character is almost shocking.
Casting here is very well done. Bale and Jackman are very convincing and draw us into their characters' dark, mysterious worlds where secrets and deception are not only important to their work, but essential to their beings. Scarlett Johanssen steps out of her recent, vampy roles to put on a convincing performance as both Bale's and Jackman's mistress/assistant. There are also great performances put on by a very strong supporting cast of Michael Caine (as the machinist behind Jackman's tricks), David Bowie (as a scientific mastermind, Tesla), and Andy Serkis (as Tesla's assistant).
This is one of the top wide releases this year. Definitely a must see.
9/10
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