Entertainment HomeDVD review : The Prestige .
by: Anthony Chatfield
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It was a good year for fans of the 19th century magician. First there was the Paul Giamatti, Edward Norton driven mystic drama of The Illusionist and a couple months later the slightly more hyped version of the same idea from Christopher Nolan in The Prestige. While some might claim The Illusionist to be a better film because of its lighter, more magical fare, don’t underestimate how good of a film Nolan managed to craft with his Batman star Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman.
The Prestige, if you’re expecting the mystic, magical aura presented in that former film, you’ll be slightly disappointed. It’s fairly straight forward, more sleight of hand than actual illusion, and in the end when it finally takes that twist you’ve been waiting for, it’s not as important as it could be. But, don’t let that ruin the notion that this is a great film. A magician himself, Nolan has a knack in film making of misleading his audience until the perfect moment.
The constant guessing by the audience, similar to the guessing and theorizing of an audience at a magician’s show is exactly what he’s trying to create. And the three layers of narrative, told through various journals from the film’s magicians, is yet one more level of interference between the audience and what’s actually going on.
Which leads to the casting. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, while perfectly suited to a role in this film, each hold the wrong role. The hubris of Borden, played by Bale, that leads to the events that push the entire film into motion is misplaced and would have better played by the flamboyant Jackman. Likewise, the sickening regret and revenge mentality of Angier, played by Jackman would have been better played by the brooding, but slick eyed Bale. At times, it’s hard to establish which character best displays the characteristics deserving of the audience’s sympathies.
In the end, it doesn’t matter, as both magicians are consumed by their rivalry and desire to one up their rival. When rivalry becomes obsession, eventually pain and suffering will follow. Nolan’s sleight of hand is subsequently well played and the film works on many different levels, however confusing the acting of its leads might be.
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Nolan’s ending especially, a triplicate twist in the wind that brings out the worst characteristics in both magicians, the brutality and blood thirst of revenge and rivalry, is a perfect contrast to the showmanship and smiles of a magician’s show. All throughout, The Prestige dazzles and amazes, at first with its details and mastery of scenery, and by the end with the director’s own mastery of his audience, pirouetting his film across the screen ably, almost ensuring repeated viewings.
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About The Author
I'm a self avowed unemployed writer, working on semi-constant basis to try and overcome the need to go and work a real job. I've written more than 200 articles and reviews and am constantly scouring the internet for any and all excuses and methods to make myself less dependent on corporate pay days. Visit my website at TheChatfield.com
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