Real Magic (Movie only) (The Prestige (DVD))

Member Name: marandina

Product:	The Prestige (DVD)
Date:	27/04/07 (296 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story, compelling performances, Bowie is back!

Disadvantages: Another convoluted Nolan effort may confuse some

I can’t quite make my mind up about Christopher Nolan. “Batman Begins” is a terrific movie whereas “Memento” confused the hell out of me. Renowned for his non-linear plot lines, Nolan is one of the more sophisticated directors that you either get in a big way or simply hate. So when I realized that he’d been the inspiration behind the recent movie “The Prestige” I had mixed feelings about what to expect. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried.

Adapted from Christopher Priest's award-winning novel, the film depicts the obsessive rivalry between the magicians Robert Angier and Alfred Borden at the end of the 19th century. Initially allied through a stage act, when Borden apparently ties a knot too tight for Angier’s wife to untie and escape from a tank full of water, her ensuing death sparks an intense mutual hatred that lasts a lifetime. Set against the prosecution of Borden for the subsequent murder of Angier, the story unfolds via a series of flashbacks with the remarkable coincidence that both men come by their opponent’s diaries and follow the inner most thoughts contained therein. As the story unfolds, we discover that both were determined to make their mark with their respective acts, setting out on a chain of lethal one-upmanship designed to constantly undermine each other leading to tragic consequences.

As ever, Nolan adopts a unique slant on the story line with a plot woven according to the premise of the movie (screenplay written by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan). As we are signposted on several occasions, a magic trick is made up of three parts - the pledge, the turn and the prestige. The pledge is the magician showing the audience the proposition, the turn is the trick itself and the prestige is the showstopper where the trick delivers its punch line like a disappearing person reappearing again to tumultuous applause. Both leads play a prominent part in the credibility of the story line. Hugh Jackman is intense as Robert Angier graphically delivering the profile of a man ripped apart by grief and bitterness in a thoroughly convincing manner which even manages to wipe away any persistent images of him as Wolverine in the X-Men movies. Christian Bale gives a competent performance as Alfred Borden although I’ve seen him operating on a higher plateau in the classy “Batman Begins” and the hugely underrated “Equilibrium”. As phlegmatic as he is, it’s hard to rise above a poorly executed London accent (just ask Johnny Depp). Michael Caine as the sage-like Albert Cutter is vintage Michael Caine with his customary commitment to role as the mentor to both at the beginning but mainly to Angier as the story develops. Rarely ruffled and always in control, Caine gives his ever reliable back up to the leads in a relentlessly professional manner that’s become the hallmark of his individual trade. Scarlett Johannson pops up as the mutual love interest adding glamour on screen and providing yet another human bridge to connect and confuse the relationship between the two antagonists. With a cameo from David Bowie as Nikola Tesla, this is a powerful cast put together to deliver a fantastic (in the literal sense of the word) storyline.

What works well in the movie are both the quality of the acting throughout along with a plot that grips the viewer, taking them on a convoluted journey of secrecy, despair, hatred and real magic. Nolan’s ability to string together different plot strands into a coherent story isn’t lost on this movie although younger viewers may find it more challenging than most (my 11-year-old lad found it very difficult to keep up!). Nolan’s interpretation of Victorian London adds to the allure of the story with an attention to detail through sets and costume that lend an authenticity that adds to the quality of the tale told. There is also an intriguing insight into how some of the feats of illusion are performed, often with a touch of cruelty, never better brought home than when a young boy bursts into tears when watching a magic act on stage and realises how the trick has been performed. With a David Julyan incidental musical score and an eclectic soundtrack, the Victoriana theme is brought to life and allowed to run underneath the movie theme throughout the plotline. What takes the film into the realms of out and out fantasy is the sub-plot around Bowie’s Tesla and his scientific discoveries around static electricity. Hounded by Thomas Edison’s men trying to bring the enigmatic Tesla to book as a charlatan, Tesla’s invention provides the heart of the second half of the movie taking the, until now, theme of magic realism into a whole new world of science and magic meeting in a twilight zone that we know may be there as an audience although we aren’t quite sure in the same way that we think we know how a feat of illusion has been performed but prefer not to know subconsciously.

If I have a criticism of the movie its simply that there are too many twists. With the closing reels looking trickier than an eel dipped in grease, the finale makes the audience look like a man stuck in the centre seat at Wimbledon. I haven’t usually got a problem with twists and turns in general as long as they are kept in moderation and the denouement is a well kept secret but by the time we reached this movie climax, it was possible to see what was coming despite all the sleight of hand that had gone on before. Notwithstanding, the shifts in plot do work for the most part and should provide a series of wide-eyed moments for the viewer that surrounds the movie in its magical act wrapping making this such a beautifully executed work of art.

With a run time of 130 minutes and a 12 rating , “The Prestige” will appeal to older children and adults. With some violence and disturbing images, it’s not a movie for the younger ones although my lad had no problem with it whatsoever (I'm such a liberal). Nominated for 2 Academy awards for art direction and cinematography (production team regulars Wally Pfister (cinematography), Nathan Crowley (production design) were reunited from “Batman Begins” with Nolan on this movie), the movie has a predominantly magical theme bordering on the fantasy genre. This is a superb movie that will challenge the audience but ultimately engage and delight in a way designed to replicate the very best of magic. Prepare to be dazzled.

Thanks for reading

Mara

More info at:theprestige.movies.go.com

DVD available at Amazon from £11.98 new.

Summary: Overview of movie