A shallow cinematic confidence trick

Rating: 4/10 (9 October 2007)

Having established his reputation with the tricksy, but effective thriller Memento, director Christopher Nolan and his screenwriter brother, Jonathan, return to the "nothing is what it seems" school of movie-making with their latest film, The Prestige. Unfortunately, this time the result can only be classed as a fraud.
Focussing on Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), a pair of duelling Edwardian era magicians; for most of its overlong duration, The Prestige maintains the pretence that it is grounded in recognisable reality. Indeed at least one of the characters, the pioneering inventor Tesla (creepily played by David Bowie in one of the film's few highlights), was actually a real historical figure. Although the drama is steeped in illusion and trickery, the film lures its audience into thinking that all they are seeing is mere sleight of hand; tricks of the conjurer's trade, many of which are revealed in some detail.
Yet when it comes to explaining the final baffling illusion, the Nolan brothers suddenly reveal the whole movie to be one big confidence trick. There is no ingenious explanation for Angier's climactic spectacle. It is in fact impossible; a cheat relying on an absurd sci-fi wheeze that renders the whole story completely meaningless.
When Angier discovers all the cats and top hats out in the woods, my first thought was that Tesla was trying to con him into thinking he was being sold a cloning device, since obviously for it to be a REAL cloning device would just be too preposterous. But no, apparently not.
Compounding the risible plot denouement, the film's dramatic and romantic elements also fail to engage. The love stories are underdeveloped, and end up hopelessly mangled by the disjointed, hop around all over the place, narrative structure. Only Rebecca Hall emerges well from these romantic subplots, managing to produce a convincing performance from the underwritten role of Borden's wife, Sarah. In contrast Scarlett Johansson just looks bored, as the glamorous assistant, Olivia. She appears to have faxed in her performance from the Hollywood hills. Her accent is a mess, and she seems to be relying upon her, admittedly ample, cleavage to do most of the acting.
About all that pulls The Prestige up from a one or two star rating to a four, is impressive cinematography, and some excellent set designs and period detailing. Won't be enough to get me to watch it again, though.