Could've Been Great

Rating: 5/10 (13 February 2016)

This movie had the potential to be excellent. Great setting, great acting, great potential for a twist. However, though this might have been easier to hide in the book, the "twist" was too easily foreseen. The first glance at Fallon, and I said "hey that looks like Christian Bale," but wrote it off as coincidence. However the second time we caught a glimpse of this mysterious character, I figured out the "mystery". An undeveloped character with a beard, lowered hat, and obviously disguised? Hmm. I could tell his eyes were Christian Bale's from the start. And as the movie dragged on, with this character speaking no lines, it only proved the obvious. Fallon is Borden's "double" (twin) with makeup and fake facial hair. He is too underdeveloped, mysterious, and quiet to be anything else. And he just plain looks like Christian Bale! (minus the fatter cheeks from the prosthetic.) The clues stacked up too high throughout. How certain lines to Fallon were worded. His role in the family. The altering personalities of Borden. There was no surprise when Fallon took of the mask and shot his rival. So much for the crazy twist.
Though there were some smaller more interesting twists, and the movie was well-done, this ruined the big surprise for me.
Also, after developing this great theme of clever outsmarting of your counterpart through illusion and skill, the ending is left to science fiction? Sigh. I wish it wasn't real this time, I wish it was some good magic.