2008 Woodie Awards
The Prestige: A Truly Magical Movie Experience
**** (of 4), 128 Minutes, PG-13
Roger Priddy
Issue date: 10/31/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment
The Prestige was the most fun I've had at the movies all year. It's just an awesome, awesome film.
Director Christopher Nolan's film about two dueling magicians is simply magical. It's as breathtaking as a captivating magic trick you can't believe. It is an enchanting, miraculous magic trick, a supernatural otherworldly cinematic euphoria. The Prestige is one of those movies that makes movies. It's so good it may actually be worth shelling out nearly $10 bucks for the ticket, five for the popcorn, four for the drink and whatever for the Raisinets. A movie that good truly is mystical.
The Prestige is like Deliverance with wands instead of banjos. Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are the two rival illusionists. Once friends, the two become bitter enemies when one causes a needless tragedy to occur. One is a great performer; the other has a great trick. Their enmity for one another hastily grows into a shared, psychotic obsession. That obsession leads to electric zeniths and destructive downfalls for both men, and magic ubiquitous for audiences.
Christopher Nolan has crafted a masterpiece. I'm a big fan of the young director. His breakout film was Memento (2000), an engrossingly memorable movie that's became a cult classic. Insomnia (2002) was a beautiful film with great emotional depth that made Al Pacino my favorite actor. And with the release of last year's Batman Begins, Nolan actually added realism to a comic book movie, in one of the better superhero films I've seen. But as good as his previous films have been, Nolan reaches his peak here. The Prestige is wonderfully spellbinding, and spellbindingly beautiful. It is his prestigious prestige. May we hope that he never plateaus.
The acting is near flawless throughout. The standout that looms above all the standouts is, amazingly, Hugh Jackman. He's incredible here. He may not have been too bad as Wolverine, but previously Jackman hasn't given a performance even in the same universe as this. He's wizardly, eerie good. Christian Bale and Michael Caine reunite with Nolan here since their work in Batman Begins. Bale is awesome, making it look so easy; almost effortlessly it seems he shines. Caine as a classic magic trick designer and sort of mentor to both of the dueling magicians is flawless. He was perfect as Alfred the butler, but he's an even more perfect fit here. Scarlett Johansson is much better here than in Black Dahlia as the wondering-eyed woman in yet another love triangle. And almost worth the price of admission itself, the eclectic David Bowie is unrecognizable and electric in a fascinating part as eclectic scientist Nikola Tesla (Edison's rival).
As strong as the direction and acting are, the real strength here is the story. It's just absolutely brilliant. I love films like this; a movie that galvanizes you and really makes you think. Yet you can still easily follow along with it, and it flows as smooth as butter. Its overflowing with style yet drenched in substance. There's enough here to make you think for weeks. And checking out the movie's message board afterward on the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) is almost mandatory. There are many, many interpretations that could be drawn from this film, and it's fun to see how your own conclusions align with those of others.
A dark, radiant, exhilaratingly entertaining wonder, it's the type of movie I think any movie lover will enjoy. A film that viewers who love sharps twists and to be challenged, without being cheated, will absolutely devour. My hat is off to everyone involved.
Director Christopher Nolan's film about two dueling magicians is simply magical. It's as breathtaking as a captivating magic trick you can't believe. It is an enchanting, miraculous magic trick, a supernatural otherworldly cinematic euphoria. The Prestige is one of those movies that makes movies. It's so good it may actually be worth shelling out nearly $10 bucks for the ticket, five for the popcorn, four for the drink and whatever for the Raisinets. A movie that good truly is mystical.
The Prestige is like Deliverance with wands instead of banjos. Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are the two rival illusionists. Once friends, the two become bitter enemies when one causes a needless tragedy to occur. One is a great performer; the other has a great trick. Their enmity for one another hastily grows into a shared, psychotic obsession. That obsession leads to electric zeniths and destructive downfalls for both men, and magic ubiquitous for audiences.
Christopher Nolan has crafted a masterpiece. I'm a big fan of the young director. His breakout film was Memento (2000), an engrossingly memorable movie that's became a cult classic. Insomnia (2002) was a beautiful film with great emotional depth that made Al Pacino my favorite actor. And with the release of last year's Batman Begins, Nolan actually added realism to a comic book movie, in one of the better superhero films I've seen. But as good as his previous films have been, Nolan reaches his peak here. The Prestige is wonderfully spellbinding, and spellbindingly beautiful. It is his prestigious prestige. May we hope that he never plateaus.
The acting is near flawless throughout. The standout that looms above all the standouts is, amazingly, Hugh Jackman. He's incredible here. He may not have been too bad as Wolverine, but previously Jackman hasn't given a performance even in the same universe as this. He's wizardly, eerie good. Christian Bale and Michael Caine reunite with Nolan here since their work in Batman Begins. Bale is awesome, making it look so easy; almost effortlessly it seems he shines. Caine as a classic magic trick designer and sort of mentor to both of the dueling magicians is flawless. He was perfect as Alfred the butler, but he's an even more perfect fit here. Scarlett Johansson is much better here than in Black Dahlia as the wondering-eyed woman in yet another love triangle. And almost worth the price of admission itself, the eclectic David Bowie is unrecognizable and electric in a fascinating part as eclectic scientist Nikola Tesla (Edison's rival).
As strong as the direction and acting are, the real strength here is the story. It's just absolutely brilliant. I love films like this; a movie that galvanizes you and really makes you think. Yet you can still easily follow along with it, and it flows as smooth as butter. Its overflowing with style yet drenched in substance. There's enough here to make you think for weeks. And checking out the movie's message board afterward on the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) is almost mandatory. There are many, many interpretations that could be drawn from this film, and it's fun to see how your own conclusions align with those of others.
A dark, radiant, exhilaratingly entertaining wonder, it's the type of movie I think any movie lover will enjoy. A film that viewers who love sharps twists and to be challenged, without being cheated, will absolutely devour. My hat is off to everyone involved.
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