The Prestige
THE PRESTIGE (15)
D: Christopher Nolan
Touchstone/Newmarket/Syncopy (Emma Thomas, Aaron Ryder
& Christopher Nolan)
US/UK 2006
130 mins
Mystery/Thriller
W: Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan
DP: Wally Pfister
Ed: Lee Smith
Mus: David Julyan
PD: Nathan Crowley
Hugh Jackman (Robert Angier 'The Great Danton'), Christian
Bale (Alfred Borden 'The Professor'), Michael Caine (John Cutter), Scarlett Johansson (Olivia Wenscombe), Rebecca Hall (Sarah Borden), Piper Perabo (Julia McCullough), David Bowie (Nikola
Tesla)
'The Prestige' refers to the third act in a magical
illusion, following 'The Pledge' and 'The Turn'.
Christopher Nolan's mystery thriller focuses on the
growing rivalry between two illusionists in 19th century London and their constant attempts to usurp each other in performing the greatest ever magic trick.
Driven firstly by revenge, then by obsession,
Christian Bale & Hugh Jackman are equally, and quite realistically, antagonistic as the feuding showmen, allowing their private lives to be torn apart by their rivalry.
Christopher Nolan presents a very stylish, clever
mystery but allows style to get in the way a little too much, so, for me, the ending was quite obvious.
One of two movies based around magic to be released in
2006, the other being The Illusionist, which arguably had a more surprising plot twist.
8/10
