Egaging Thriller

Rating: 9/10 (28 March 2007)

Entertaining and thought provoking. This film uses magic as "theMcGuffin" in a story that is more of a Hitchcockian mystery and H.G. Welles style sci-fiction and revenge thriller. Magic, and the performance of it are the side light setting of this tale of two men obsessed with one-upsmanship, hatred, and ultimately, personal depravity.
Excellently produced, the above the title actors all perform well, some surprise luminaries show up in smaller roles, and the heart of the story is Rebecca Hall (as Bale's common law wife), turning in a tattered, star-making performance that steals the show from all the glossier people. Michael Cain keeps the action moving in a narrative role that sees quite a bit of action.
The leads here are very hard to care about, Johannson and Bale don't have much sparkle, and it is especially notable in her performance where see seems mostly rather bored, and this makes it begin to feel too long.
Jackman always has sparkle, and plays his own double  believable a completely different person, unfortunately, the double (a soused, underemployed great thespian) is more interesting than the anti-hero. Clearly, Jackman will make the transition to older character actor with a second half of his career that will eclipse all his handsome leading men. Something to look forward to!
A completely engaging and entertaining thriller, with many twists and turns, you need to keep tuned in to keep track. The final reveal happens so quickly that some may not understand what really was happening. The advert says you'll want to watch it again as soon as it is over. I did not want to, but it certainly did keep me thinking and puzzling out some of the plot points and questions of morality/mortality. ( I watched this with THE ILLUSIONIST, which was underrated, that film is much more magical and romantic, my favorite of the two.)