Were you watching closely?

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2007)

Because if you were, than this movie shouldn't have seemed that great in the end. I had high hopes for The Prestige. I thought to myself, if Nolan thinks this is important enough to be made before Batman Begins 2, than it should be good. Unfortunately, the film fails to be completely amazing as I thought it would be.
Yes, the cinematography is beautiful, it throws you right in the middle of Angier and Borden's rivalry. Yes, Jackman and Bale's acting is superb and convincing. Yes, the directing is nothing short of amazing. So, in that case, what was missing? Call me crazy, but this film was predictable. If you simply pay attention to the story, you can figure out the ending 10 minutes or so before it. That's OK by, but why did they have to reveal the twist at the very end, when everyone already understands everything? Did they actually think the story was THAT complex? Because it wasn't. Nolan gives us this big, breathtaking finally, thinking that we're idiots, who can't figure out what is so painfully obvious. Well, I'm sure he doesn't really think that we are idiots, but it sure looks like it.
In the way it was made, The Prestige really reminded me of Memento. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just that Memento worked on every level possible, but The Prestige just doesn't. It's like a step back from the brilliance that was Memento.
Otherwise, this film was marvelous. And thankfully, I'm not someone who hates an utterly brilliant film, just because the ending was too simple. I am more interested in the process, than the result. And this film is a perfect example of when the process is more tasteful than the result.
8/10