"The Prestige"

Rating: 9/10 (23 October 2006)

Another fall, another turn of the century tale of magicians. Seriously, why did we get "The Illusionist" and "The Prestige" in the same season? Don't confuse the two films, though. "The Illusionist" was a fun romp compared to director Christopher Nolan's ("Batman Begins," "Memento") take on showmanship, revenge, and evil. I would recommend not reading any more of my review if you want to be surprised by this impressive, haunting film.
While "The Illusionist" was a movie about sleight of hand and good triumphing over evil via craftiness, "The Prestige" is a study of craftiness destroying. Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are magician's apprentices who both desire to someday be the greatest magician on the London stage. A tragedy early in the first act divides the men and leads to an escalating series of increasingly nasty and complicated revenge schemes.
The two performers spend the film trying to one up and destroy the other. When Borden devises a trick that seemingly allows him to transport himself from one closed compartment to another, Angier becomes obsessed with trying to figure out the secret of "The Transporting Man." This leads him on a journey to Colorado Springs where he seeks the help of electricity wizard Nikola Tesla (David Bowie in a fantastic, subdued performance) and begins delving into actual magic/science. As Angier becomes more focused on destroying Borden, his friend and production engineer (Michael Caine) tries to temper his destructive impulses.
The film uses a fascinating storytelling device that hops all over the place chronologically. Both men discover each other's diaries and this leads to a series of flashbacks upon flashbacks. Are the diaries reliable? Can we believe the stories they are telling us? As the film nears its conclusion, we keep waiting for the sleight of hand moment where we discover that the impending tragedy is just a device, a trick meant to enthrall and fool the audience. But Nolan is not Shymalan and he is crafting a genuine tragedy. No one gets out of this tale unscathed. It's a haunting film with fantastic performances and impeccable storytelling. It's a tragic epic that will alienate many audiences. They're gonna feel that they were owed a happy ending.
For the more adventurous, though, this movie is worth the price of admission. For storytelling acumen alone, "The Prestige" is a must-see.