Where ambition can lead you..

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2015)

The Prestige follows two magicians over the course of their career. What started as a friendly rivalry turned into much more. Borden and Angier, the two main protagonists start off as stage hands to an experienced magician, but after a horrible accident in an illusion involving Angier's wife goes wrong and she ends up drowning. And so starts the battle between the two magicians, as the movie progresses through the years it shows just how desperate each one gets to outdo the other. Until one day Borden shows his audience his "Transported Man" trick, Angier's mind snaps. Little does he know that he's not really looking for the secret to Borden's trick, but trying hard to emulate and improve it. That's what the movie hides so well. The scenic landscape of Colorado and Colorado springs captured by excellent camera work helps bring the grandeur to the movie. It's not just the fancy footage filmed in the mountains and valleys that really make this film, it's the faithful recreation of late 19th century London which sets the dark undertone of the film. The inclusion of an all-star cast solidifies each character's performance and personality, especially the likes of Michael Caine and David Bowie. Obviously since this is a film about magicians, the "what happens next?" moment occurs quite frequently and it's not just limited to the tricks they perform. Music in a movie has always been extremely important to me. Fortunately in Nolan's flicks, one can find much to appreciate in how a certain suite or soundtrack really binds the scene together. Although the movie isn't noted for its soundtrack it was still important in completing the scenes. Nolan's movies sometimes have a tendency to have "empty" scenes, for me there were definitely a few scenes which I thought were just filler.