Not so much the story itself, as the way it is told - another triumph for Nolan

Rating: Null/10 (1 November 2006)

Many stories strive on love. Occasionally, you'll find some that feed on hate, such as Wuthering Heights. The Prestige is a story that feeds on gnawing hate. Set at the turn of the century, two young assistants to a magician called Cutter (Michael Caine) start out as pals, but turn into bitter enemies and rivals when a mistake (we never know if that's intentional) committed by one causes the death of the other's wife during a performance. Borden (Christian Bale) goes off by himself, gets married and has a lovely daughter while Angier (Hugh Jackman) stays with Cutter while nursing a bitter hatred for Borden for causing the death of his wife.
With Christopher Nolan ("Memento") at the helm, you can be assured that the story is not told in a simple linear fashion. Indeed, the deft narration, in no less than three time spans, is one of the joys from watching the movie. While a little confusing at the beginning, the full picture gradually unfolds before our eyes Â– how Borden, accused of the murder of Angier, is waiting in jail for the gallows (the present), how Angier goes to Colorado to seek out Borden's secret (the less distant past) and how the rivalry of the two developed in the first place (the more distant past). In the process, we are also shown how they both fall in love with a beautiful stage assistant Olivier, played by the underused Scarlett Johansson.
Although the twist in this movie is not really its highlight, it deserves mentioning. While enough twists and sledge-of-hand have been provided to keep the movie interesting throughout, the key theme is always there, depending on how much attention you pay. The clue is the Chinese magician's trick, which requires not only a moment's deception on stage, but an entire lifetime's charade on and off stage. That is the key. Added to that is something I, as a faithful follower of Sherlock Holmes, always have at the back of my mind - "If you eliminate all the possibilities, whatever remains, however improbable, is the solution".
But the beauty of this movie, as I said, is not the story and plot twist, but the way it is presented. Again, this is an idea that has been explored in the movie. While Borden is a better magician, he does not have the packaging skills and stage presence of Angier. Nolan, on the other hand, certainly have what it takes to make magic out of an otherwise somewhat uninspired story and less than brilliant plot twists. He is helped by excellent art direction (particularly the Gothic set) and crisp editing that sustains a compelling pace without losing the necessary details.
Performance of the two male leads shine, in different ways. Jackman has the advantage of a dashingly handsome face, which seems to bring out his best whether it's a 17th century nobleman, a vampire exterminator, or a werewolf. And he does have the stage presence required of Angier. Christian Bale is the sort of actor that does not impress at first glance, but grows on you. Once he gets into the dark side of Borden and unleashes the ominous latent energy, you'll appreciate how difficult a role it is and how well he has tackled it. While Johansson is underused, Caine demonstrates each and every time that he is the most reliable actor around today when an anchor is required for the entire movie. Quite a few people comment on David Bowie playing the eccentric inventor, but I think equally deserving is Andy Serkis who plays his assistant. While most would not recognize he face, I cannot fail to, having watched repeatedly the extended DVD of Lord of the Rings Â– Andy Serkis, the man who is Gollum.