Obsession and Magic.

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2006)

I've got to say firstly, Chris Nolan has wow-ed me ever since I saw Memento, all those years ago. He is an exceptional auteur, and wields the conventions of time, space, and suspense like a master... and The Prestige is indeed his masterpiece. Everything from the direction, to the ambiance, to the nuanced performances just sucks you into this world. It is perhaps no coincidence that this film plays like a magic trick. As Nolan manipulates the viewer through his 'pledge', and 'turn'. The artful misdirection within these first two acts, makes the impact of his 'Prestige' even greater.
The Prestige is a passionate lamentation on obsession, the likes of which I have not experienced since reading Moby Dick. Robert Angier(Hugh Jackman) is the 'Ahab' of the piece, and Alfred Borden(Christian Bale) is his 'White Whale'... or at least his secret is. Another polished performance comes from Michael Caine, as the ingÃ©nue Cutter, who is the 'Ishmael' of this story... And what a story it is.
My reasoning behind why this film manages to be so impactful, is because it takes the time to layer every character. No cardboard cut-out, comic book heroes here... Despite having Batman, and Wolverine as the two leads(LOL). This film makes you invest in the characters, and those that go for the journey will be rewarded with something that makes you feel... Which in today's cinema(that has too readily become a 'Snakes On A Plane/Gen Y wasteland'), is truly something special.