Nolan's sleight of hand

Rating: 6/10 (25 October 2006)

The first film of Christopher Nolan I saw was his remake of the 1997 Norwegian film "Insomnia," and I found it brilliant. Since then I've been hearing a lot of recommendations of his earlier work "Memento" (which I have yet to find a copy of). I was also impressed by how Nolan maintained the grit while providing intellect to "Batman Begins." So it was but natural that along with Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," one of my most anticipated films this season is Nolan's "The Prestige." Based from the novel by Christopher Priest, "The Prestige" is a film that tells the tale of two 19th century magicians - Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) - who are in constant hostility as they try to outdo each other's performance. It is 1878 and Borden is tried by a London court for the murder of Angier during one of the latter's performances. While awaiting his execution, Borden starts reading Angier's diary.
Subsequently, the film proceeds in a series of flashbacks. Borden and Angier start out as assistants for a magician whose shows include the risky predicament escape: Angier's wife (Piper Perabo) is tied and placed in a tank filled with water and while hidden from the audience's view, she must free herself from the ropes, and open the trick lock. But a mistake during one performance cost her life as she failed to slip her wrists out of the ropes and eventually drowned.
With Angier believing that Borden is responsible for his wife's death, the two went on their separate ways and become magicians as well. Eventually, Borden becomes famous with his "The Transported Man" act and Angier grows obsessed in finding out its secret. He sends his assistant Olivia (Scarlett Johansson) to work for Borden with the hope of gaining the knowledge behind Borden's trick but backfires as Olivia falls in love with Borden.
Angier then enlists the help of Nikola Tesla (David Bowie), who reluctantly agrees to build a machine that is supposedly set to aid Angier in performing what could be his greatest trick. What ensues is a labyrinth of twists and sleights of hand that to go into details is far too complicated. Let it just be said that the world inhabited by the characters of "The Prestige" is eerily dark and suggestive of the supernatural.
I had high hopes prior to seeing this film as I've said, and although it wasn't as great as I expected coming from the director, I still find it to be interesting and agreeably diverting. Nolan and his brother/co-scriptwriter Jonathan has paced the film clearly and straightforward. The plot's details are relatively concealed and restrained at least a few minutes before the denouement, wherein anyone who's been closely paying attention will know the sleight of hand to be employed by the filmmakers for the film's final trick.
The cast gives good performances despite their crudely written characters. From the exaggeratedly scrawny guy in "The Machinist" to Bruce Wayne in "Batman Begins," Bale completely inhabits a different character in every film he's in, and he's always believable. Jackman possesses the strength and the determined fixation to lend credibility to his character's motives. Johansson doesn't have much to do here but she provides a feminine touch.
"The Prestige" is finely crafted movie and a worthy addition to the director's resume. It suffers a bit from its tarrying on some parts and from its inclination to spell out so much justification from the characters, but these are compensated by the superior narrative style, good performances, and the opulent sets of the Victorian era. It may not be an outstanding achievement but Nolan is deft enough to make the film's illusions seem genuine.