Nolan's Exceptional Venture into the World of Magic

Rating: 9/10 (29 May 2012)

After reinventing the Batman franchise and reminding audiences how awesome they can be when Joel Schumacher isn't involved, director Christopher Nolan took the time to do his own thing. The result was THE PRESTIGE, further proof that Nolan doesn't need a man in a bat costume to prove how awesome a director he is. Nolan is one of the best directors in modern Hollywood for weaving a gripping story with powerful performances from his cast. In THE PRESTIGE, Nolan introduces the audience to the behind-the-scenes world of magic (stage magic, not fantasy magic) with the tale of two rising magicians with an ongoing feud that ultimately consumes both of their lives. Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are a couple of magician's assistants/audience plants with aspirations of rising to the top in the world of magic. When a botched escape act ends with the death of Angier's wife, Angier blames Borden and the two part ways as Angier stews with thoughts of vengeance. As Borden goes on to make a name for himself, Angier rages at the thought that Borden be given success after what he'd done and begins a war of escalation as each tries to sabotage the other's acts. The war between the two reaches a new level when Borden debuts a new act called the Transported Man and Angier becomes obsessed with learning the secret, eventually turning to infamous scientist Nikola Tesla to harness the power of science in creating his own version.
I love Nolan's movies and this one ranks high as one of his best in my opinion. The story keeps you guessing, the performances are strong, and I absolutely love the setting. The film is set in 19th century England and takes us behind the curtain as magicians devise their latest illusions to baffle audiences. That alone would've made this movie worth my interest, but Nolan's tale of vengeance and obsession brings the movie a whole other level. I love a good magic show and a glimpse into the creation/execution of classic illusions secured my interest, while the incorporation of science elements with the use of Tesla as a plot element turns the whole concept of magic on it's head with his invention. By that point in the film, it had started slipping into the realm of science fiction, which sort of derailed it a bit. It made for an interesting final act, but it was asking for a bit too much suspension of disbelief. I'm no scientist but, come on, you don't need to be to realize that Tesla's invention in the film is an impossibility. Until this point in the film, it was grounded firmly in reality without stooping to "real magic" and the sudden inclusion of this miracle machine, while interesting enough, messes with the feel of the movie. Regardless, the film isn't necessarily about the Transported Man or Tesla, it's about the war between Angier and Borden and in that sense the film is a great success.
The story is made powerful by the performances of the two leads: Jackman and Bale. Both men are fantastic actors and create characters that are equal parts sympathetic and detestable. Each one is suffering in their own way: Angier with the death of his wife and Borden with his unwavering commitment to his craft despite how it might affect his personal life. I love that the movie, for a while, leaves the question of who is the film's protagonist hazy. You would believe from the beginning that Angier is the hero, merely seeking retribution for his loss, but later in the film the audience perception shifts and we begin to realize that the Angier's obsession has corrupted him beyond reason and suddenly Borden is the victim. Honestly, each man in the movie engages in acts of violence and cruelty, and neither can really be considered the "good" guy. I think that's what makes this movie that much more interesting: there is no real hero. Just a couple of incredibly flawed human beings caught up in something that explodes out of proportion, performed to perfection by Jackson and Bale. The supporting cast is loaded with equal talent: Michael Caine as Angier's engineer, Scarlett Johansson as a magician's assistant caught in the middle, David Bowie (!) as Nikola Tesla, and Andy Serkis as his assistant. The production design in the movie is incredible and the cast is powerful. If it weren't for the bizarre sci-fi turn in the middle of the movie, this movie would be perfect.