Fantastic Movie

Rating: 10/10 (23 November 2006)

Excellent movie; ingenious plot line, unbelievable twists, and spectacular acting. The name of the movie, "The Prestige," has nothing to do with the level of prestige involved in the magician's competition; it references the third part of a magic trick. Through the course of the movie, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) attempts to discover the secret to Alfred Borden's (Christian Bale) latest greatest trick. There is a mysterious element to the antics of Borden much like the mysteries in an M. Night Shyamalan film. The plot is very complex, and I found that the plot made much more sense after I was able to discuss it with a group of friends who had also seen the film. One unique feature that I very much enjoyed was the strong lack of distinction in protagonist and antagonist. Rivals Angier and Borden both bring in their own share of criminal acts and charitable deeds. The science techniques employed by the characters in the movie are phenomenal, but completely unexplainable. All in all, this movie really gives the viewer something to chew on. I highly recommend it.