The Prestige

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2006)

I have just seen this eagerly awaited film and have read many reviews so I sat down to watch and make up my own mind about the film. I DID WATCH AND VERY CLOSELY and found myself sitting on the edge of my seat most of the time wondering just where I would not quite get it right. I found the story fascinating and followed it to the end and it was then that I found I had been misdirected at some point - very cleaver.
Christopher Nolan's directing and the shared script with his brother was fist class. His next inspiration was to pit Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale against each other - brilliant. Hugh Jackman as the showman who puts his magic across with pure showmanship but Chritian Bale is the better magician but they are friends - but I found him to be evil. But they bounced off each other all the way through and it was a joy to watch such talents on the screen. Michael Caine of course was excellent as ever but I am still confused about all the fuss in respect of Scarlet's acting abilities. I have seen two films and - no - to me she was the limp non person in the film.
However, I thought that Hugh Jakman's performance was first class and he changed his main character so much as he started at the beginning of the film has a happy married man with his wife as his assistant but when she died he gradually became bitter, revengeful and obsessed with his magic against Bale because he was sure,and he was right that Bale was responsible for her death. But addition to that he play other characters and each with a difference each with that magical characterisation touch. Christian Bale was good his part but he did not have to progress or diverse as much as Hugh as he was himself and his own brother. He actually was the evil one because he knew he had tied the wrong knot and he was responsible for Hugh's wife's death which began the ultimate feud which would cause death.
I was with Hugh all the way through and knew he was not dead - somehow ! Nothing was given away it was just a feeling and when he was shot by Bale it was such a shock I felt myself gasp and shocked this I did not expect.
I suppose deeper thought from me should have realised that Bale had a brother because of 'I love you today' or 'Not today' As both magicians were such good friends I cannot understand why Hugh did not know about the brother.
However I thoroughly enjoyed the film - I was delighted when it appeared that Bale would lose his daughter to Jackman but she would be well looked after by Hugh but I left the cinema feeling the good guy got the bad deal and the bad guy got away with murder twice - may be even three times really - he did drive his wife to suicide.
I fully recommend this film to be seen - it is not complex if you watch it but I cannot guarantee that something will not trip you up and that is the best way a film should be and it is not often we get that delight.