The Prestige is a mystery thriller released in 2006 with big names like Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johanson, Michael Caine and even David freakin' Bowie. And is directed/written by Christopher Nolan most notable for his director/writing works of the new Batman films.
The Prestige is much more than just a film with a string of big name actors.
It follows the storyline of two Magicians with a past together trying to see who is the better magician. But the story really does add more than that to fill the surface. The film involves death of ones family, accidentally messing up an act that could cause an injury and really just the blood thirsty revenge at stake between the two. Without ruining too much more i'll do the white text below and keep out any more spoilers.
This film might as well be the gateway between me and going into more of Christopher Nolan's works, i've already seen Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. But the depth of the film is just great, a late 1900/ early 2000 century atmosphere is built, along with the failure and pain involved with a magician. Not always goes to plan as seen in the movie.
Within the first minutes the characters are introduced.
Angier has just been killed by Borden during one of his acts, by the underwater escape trick. Involving falling into a water tank then pulling out a metal bar at the top to remove the faulty lock. What we don't know is any back story as to why anything has occurred. How did Borden even kill Angier?
From here we are following the Diary of Angier's constant look for Borden's famous The Transported Man trick. And later in the film it's Angier looking thgough Borden's diary, so the cross here is quite confusing at first to gain the over-all where the movie is at. But once you get the gain, you'll find the movie easy to look through
Then we are taken back to the beginning, the re-occurring theme of underwater escape tricks is present, showing Angier's wife doing the trick with ease.
We are now shown to the opposite, the accident during the act that changes everything.
Robert Angier's (Hugh Jackman) wife is killed by Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) accidentally during a underwater escape trick gone terribly wrong where Borden ties a different knot when he was told not to in a cut-scene earlier.
From there the pair move away and the rivalry between the two grows from there. Angier goes on to make his own Magician show The Great Danton with his mentor Cutter (Michael Caine), Borden makes his own act The Professor. Angier then destroys Borden's act of The Catching Bullet by shooting a real bullet at him. And Borden sabotages Angier's act of the disappearing bird without killing the bird.
Along with Borden's new trick The Transported Man, Angier goes as far to find the secret of the act and in look for revenge.
I'll leave it there. For now. I really am finding it difficult to post more about the movie, i overly enjoyed it but i really can't string a well pieced essay together too well. So take it for what the movie is and expect nothing. Deciphering the clues ruins the movie altogether.
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