A Magical Experience

Rating: 10/10 (31 July 2017)

Set in a dark and malice late-Victorian England, The Prestige is a diabolical and intriguing thriller film by one of the most critically acclaimed director of our era, Christopher Nolan, about two stage magicians engaged in a competitive one-upmanship in an attempt to create the ultimate stage illusion. This competition leads to sinister proceedings that moves both the story and audience to an ambivalent and ominous state. It's a tale of obsession and deception, a magic trick that creates a lasting impression.
The movie follows a solid story structure that made all the acts propulsive and fast-paced. Nolan's mastery of cinematic deception and visual illusions enables the film to proceed in a non-chronological yet understandable sequence. The changing of time and space between each cut makes the story engaging and entertaining to watch. The puzzles and tricks that were utilized makes the audience be part of the problem-solving in each scene, and although the answers are right in front of our eyes, Nolan still managed to hide them in plain sight, and were only revealed at the very last moment.
The characters in the story are lovable, relatable, human, and well- developed. The performance of the actors gave justice to their characters. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman's portrayal of the two magicians propelled the rivalry of their respective characters to a grander height that helped on amplifying the overall emotion that drives the story forward.
Cinematography wise, the film is indeed magical. The utilization of visual illusions and tricks through editing reflected the theme of the story, which is deception. The use of parallax effects made each act more watchable. The overall lighting and music throughout the film created a dark and gloomy ambiance which made the movie overall, a more thrilling experience.
The Prestige tells the story of humanity's obsession and greed for power through two magicians who are willing to take all means necessary to top the other. It's a tale of demise amplified by suspense, deceit, compulsion, and avarice. It's an intelligent and cerebral film that is easy to understand when you watch it carefully. The amount of its rewatchability which is kind of rare on today's films makes each viewing a different and delightful experience. This is a film I would recommend to everyone especially to those who enjoy thriller films that is full of puzzles. The story of The Prestige is already commendable to its roots but if we look carefully towards its lessons, we will realize how rewarding this film really is. As said in the movie, we know the truth but we want to be fooled because of our desire to be amazed. Learning the truth however doesn't kill the magic, but brings the magic within us.
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