Overwrought. Falls to its own potential

Rating: 4/10 (21 October 2006)

The writers tried to pack 10 pounds of story into a 5 pound bag. Combining the material for four clever stories into one did not work. Plot holes developed quickly and the audience was let down with weak points and bad cuts.
Plot holes.
1: There was no indication that Bale's character was doubled by a Tesla machine. It only showed him attending a hastily-sketched Tesla demonstration.
2: The solution to the problem with Bales' lover and wife was a plothole: If he had an asbolute clone, would that clone not love the wife as much as the original? They _both_ loved the daughter equally.
2a: If one clone did _not_ love the wife, why would he bother going to her? The clones could were already using disguises and living separate lives - they could have maintained separate loved ones as well.
3: If the light bulbs needed no wires then why did the one Jackman picked up go out when he did? I know this has to do with Tesla's wireless electricity and that the bulb had been in a socket, but it's not presented coherently.
4: The light bulb Jackman holds when being greeted by Tesla illuminates when Tesla holds his hand. Bodies conduct electricity, sure, but they don't generally store it too well.
Weak points / bad cuts: 1: Throw-away inside joke: "He's an out of work actor," speaking of the alcoholic.
2: Cut from the birdcage falling on the woman's hands - Jackman was so unshaken that it made the accident unintentionally hilarious.
3: The escalating violence between the magicians quickly became funny instead of tense. Audience can only sustain repeated shocks a few times before they respond with laughter.
4: How many times does the three steps of a magician have to be repeated? The first time I heard it - it set a good mood. The second time - no problem, it must have something to do with the theme of the movie. Third, fourth, and fifth times - alright, give me a break.
This movie had me for the first 20 minutes, but after 2 hours I almost walked out. I can only stand a butt-numb-athon if my interest is held. So much was crammed into so little time that the efforts of the actors was largely wasted. Potential is a movie's greatest enemy, and this movie's potential got the best of it by far. The costumes and set pieces and capture of the era was good. The inaccuracies concerning Tesla can be overlooked. But I have zero interest in enduring this film again. I would say it's Nolan's first failure thus far.