A lecture on narrative

Rating: 9/10 (3 February 2016)

The movie begins by letting the public know that in a magic trick there are three acts:
-The premise, where we are shown an ordinary object, like a canary.
-The change, where something extraordinary happens to this object. The canary disappears. But you don't clap yet, because you know that something else must happen, you are waiting for it.
-Finally, in the prestige, the magician brings the ordinary object back. And that's when you clap. You think you are trying to figure out how he did it, but actually, you don't really want it. Because deep down you know that the old canary is smashed under the table.
This is a narrative masterpiece, and we are being told what is going to happen straight from the beginning. Nolan takes an ordinary story of two magicians' rivalry; gives it an extraordinary plot twist, and while you are trying to figure out what is the trick behind it, he brings back the ordinary to the movie.
But, just like in a magician's show, he needs to build up the tension. In a normal show, a magician begins with the simple stuff, something rather interesting yet nothing unique. Throughout the show, things get more amazing, until you get to the second to last trick, which you think it tops it all. But then it comes the last trick, the truly jaw dropping one; and you realize that the previous trick was simply the second best.
A highly recommendable movie to pretty much anyone.