The Prestige: Are you watching closely?

Rating: 8/10 (8 December 2013)

The Prestige is Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Christopher Priest's book by the same name. Some of the most memorable aspects of this film are the interactions and dialog between its characters. There's a scene where Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) tells his wife Sarah Borden (Rebecca Hall) that he loves her. She asks him to repeat it and he does, "Not today" she says. Confused, Alfred asks her what she means. Sarah: "Well some days it's not true. Maybe today you're more in love with magic. I like being able to tell the difference, it makes the days it is true mean something." Nolan is trying to show how Alfred's obsession with his hobbies is interfering with all other aspects of his life. But there's more beneath the surface. These interactions allow us to understand the movie's characters on a deeper level, a peek behind the curtain of their lives if you will. The actors picked to play these characters were nothing short of excellent; Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie... Hugh Jackman brings an unanticipated passion to his character Robert Angier. I'll admit when I thought "magicians" Jackman was not the first name to pop into my head. However I was pleasantly surprised with his spectacular performance. He really shows his versatility as an actor when you see him play his drunken barfly and prospective double, Root. Speaking of versatility Christian Bale has always been an intense method actor. It really shines through in his cold and devious take on Alfred Borden, so much so his character is even fearful and menacing at times. Bale truly makes you believe his character is willing to go to great lengths to become the world's greatest magician. Under the direction of Christopher Nolan, The Prestige is clever, daring, and ultimately surprising. He continues to prove himself as an established director in the industry with his brilliant take on the source material. He's created a unique film with a wide vision for this time period. With an all-star cast and a keen eye for detail, Nolan provokes audiences to see past the surface to the deeper meaning behind the illusions. Symbolism is a huge facet of multiple scenes which begs the question, "Are you watching closely?" I particularly enjoyed the element of suspense he was able to inject into this type of film. After all, what good magic trick doesn't keep you guessing? The fact that I couldn't immediately tell the fate of most of the characters involved was extremely refreshing. That element of suspense created another feeling of fear for the wellbeing of each character. I often found myself wondering, "Who would best the other and how would it happen? Are these men willing to kill one another just to prove a point?" The Prestige is dramatic story of rivalry, betrayal, and sacrifice. This is a world where people want to believe in magic, they want to be fooled to think that there is something greater outside their average and ordinary lives. The magicians know the secret and the audience might think they know, but as Borden says, "The secret impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything." The quest to hold that bewilderment over the audience is a central theme these magicians seek to control. The road to this type of power is wrought with greed, bitter loneliness, and even death. Another theme here was that of a broken heart. Tragic though it may be, some hearts just never mend. How far would you go to peruse your passion? How far is too far? This movie is about becoming so consumed in a lust for vengeance and fame that nothing else matters. At our very core we are human and humans make mistakes. I'd like to quote Alexander Pope by saying, "To err is human; to forgive, divine." If The Prestige is meant to teach us anything it's that we often lose sight of what's most important in life, that we can even lose sight of ourselves. The secret here is nothing is more important than the lives of your family and loved ones. We should also be content with what we have; obsession poisons the hearts of men. Nothing is worth destroying the existence of others to benefit ourselves. In this case, the end will never justify the means. So again I ask you, how far are you willing to go? Would you take a life? Would you save one? This is a film that will surely resonate with its audience for some time, as it has with me.