LC Meridian

Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Touchstone Pictures

From filmmaker Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins), comes The Prestige, a film about bitter rivalry, jealousy and death. The film stars Hugh Jackman (X-Men: The Last Stand), Christian Bale (Batman Begins), Michael Caine (Batman Begins) and Scarlett Johansson (The Black Dahlia). Set in London at the turn-of-the-century, the film tells the story of two magicians, whose rivalry leads them down a path of obsession and madness.

Rupert Angier (Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Bale) have been rivals since the beginning of their careers. They apprenticed together under the tutelage of Cutter (Caine), a man who has knowledge of just about every magic trick in the magician's handbook. After a fatal accident caused by Borden's arrogance, the two of them part ways and begin a feud that spans their entire lives. At first they are evenly matched, until Borden performs a trick that Angier feels is the greatest magic trick ever. Soon Angier finds himself obsessed with discovering Borden's secret and will stop at nothing to duplicate it, leading him on a journey into a world where both his sanity and his life are at risk.

The tagline for this film is "Are you watching closely?" and proves to be more than just a clever hook to catch the audiences attention. Once you start watching The Prestige you must pay attention to every detail because if you miss just one thing then you will miss everything. Almost everything and everyone is more than it or they appear to be and the viewer must watch carefully to try and discover what is being concealed. When Angier begins to go down the road of obsession the audience will find itself almost as taken as he is. How did Borden do the trick? What is his secret? How can I discover his methods? These are the questions that Angier, as well as the audience, seek to answer.

Media Credit: Touchstone Pictures

The cast's performances are on point, from Caine's portrayal as Cutter, the wise, former magician who pleads with Angier to let go of his obsession with Borden's trick before it destroys him; to Jackman's portrayal of Angier, who wants to ruin Borden the same way he was ruined. Jackman makes you feel sympathy towards Angier, who has lost so much at the hands of Borden, a man who seems to always be one step ahead, no matter what. That sympathy follows all the way to the movie's end, when Angier transforms into a dark, fixated individual, casting aside all those that care about him. Scarlett Johansson performs well as Angier's beautiful assistant, Olivia Wenscombe, who is caught between both men.

Christian Bale nearly steals the show as Alfred Borden. Bale makes the audience believe that this man can never be surprised and is totally unafraid to take his act to the next level, no matter how dangerous that might be. He has his own obsession, which is keeping his tricks secret even if it means driving a wedge between him and his family.

One of the problems with this film is that it does drag on. This film is a little over two hours, and staying focused on what is happening can become a chore. There is also more than one true ending, and just when you think you have everything all figured out, the film throws another twist at you. This is both a strength and a weakness as it shows great creativity, but also causes a great deal of confusion. This might leave some people scratching their heads while asking "Wait, what just happened?"

This picture is a must see as a good thriller and a good mystery. The cast performances are great, the characters complex, and a whole lot of twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. Just remember to ask yourself, "Am I watching closely?"

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