Directed by:
Christopher NolanCinematography:
Wally PfisterComposer:
David JulyanCast:
Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Daniel Davis, Christopher Neame (more)VOD (2)
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Two young, passionate magicians, Robert Angier (Jackman), a charismatic showman, and Alfred Borden (Bale), a gifted illusionist, are friends and partners until one fateful night when their biggest trick goes terribly wrong. Now the bitterest of enemies, they will stop at nothing to learn each other's secrets. As their rivalry escalates into a total obsession full of deceit and sabotage, they risk everything to become the greatest magician of all time. But nothing is as it seems, so watch closely. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (10)
Christopher Nolan is one of the cult directors of our time, so I was curious about his latest known film from his filmography, which I had not seen until now. Movie fans usually prefer his Batman comic adaptations, but those fall into the realm of mass popular culture and have such a silly foundation in their comic source that not even Nolan can turn them into a top-notch film masterpiece despite the generous budget and all the effort. I prefer the aspect of his work represented, for example, by Following, but that is not a viewer-friendly film and is more appreciated by a minority of film fans. In my eyes, The Prestige is a truly perfect combination of the professionalism of a large American studio with a generous budget and providing a generous cast and the creativity of a talented film creator who is capable, in this case, of presenting the audience with a film with a certain depth. The Prestige meets all my requirements for a good film - a visually interesting spectacle, a strong story, charismatic characters, an ambiguous script that enhances the story with a series of twists, and a thought-provoking world. Of course, some concessions to the audience could be pointed out here as well, but that's just how it goes in cinema, and in its category, The Prestige is a truly very above-average film. This film has a story that seems to have come from the pen of Jules Verne on the edge between the science fiction and mystery genres. It deals with the ruthless rivalry of two illusionists that goes beyond their profession to the extent that it destroys their closest surroundings and devours them. In the background of their conflict, we also see the no less forceful rivalry of two prominent scientists of the time - Nikola Tesla and Edison. We are in the 19th century with its boundless belief in scientific progress, and the culmination of the film also brings a warning against the misuse of scientific discovery for the satisfaction of one's egotistical cravings and even for crime. In addition, The Prestige also has excellent craftsmanship in the form of a dark atmosphere, finely pointed scenes, quality music, and attractive camera work. For me, a truly enjoyable experience that I appreciate with a 100% overall impression.
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Christopher Nolan is slowly but surely becoming one of my favourite directors. The Prestige is sharing with Memento the position of his best film (at least for me). I like his more intimate thrillers a bit more than Batman. The actors are superb, with a Christian Bale a lot more convincing than in Batman Begins and The Dark Night. The script is awesome, packed with minor turns and impressive situations and scenes, and by the end it delivers an unexpected twist that, although not as brilliant as Memento’s, makes everything fall into place and make perfect sense. I hope Nolan will take a break from Batman so we can get again something smaller.
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Christopher Nolan is a brilliant artist who has already accomplished an incredible amount in film, and he is just barely over forty. When he directed the first "Batman" and announced the film "The Prestige," people probably thought he just wanted to take a little break from substance. But Nolan didn't want to rest at all. He took an interesting, relatively unknown book by Christopher Priest and made a film that will leave you breathless. He managed to do something that many directors have been trying to do since "The Sixth Sense" - he created such a powerful twist that it will give you chills when you realize what you have been watching the whole time. The well-chosen environment of magicians, mutual rivalry, the effort to be more and more perfect, at any cost. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Michael Caine prove how great actors they are, especially Jackman who showed that he is truly a talented actor. The other two only confirmed it. But what leads the film is the great atmosphere that culminates in a truly amazing finale. This film is meticulously thought out in every detail. There are not many like it. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/06/karate-kid-parchanti-hromy-blesky-uca.html
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A film that seemed like a one-time magic trick the first time I watched it. I even doubted I would ever return to it. Since then, I've been doing it every year, and this sparkling narrative play, which juggles storytelling perspective and excitingly thematizes the mystery of creation and the fragile bond between the illusionist and the audience, has ultimately shown greater vitality than any other Nolan film. The architecture of the storytelling serves the characters more than anywhere else. With each change in perspective, the viewer's relationship to them changes, and the evaluation of their obsession and emotional attunement to the main motives. The point with the "aquarium-secret" may be modest, but is, at its core, ingenious. The work of a real magician. Continuous grower.
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Luckily the Nolan brothers played about sufficiently with the screenplay, so the result isn’t just a set of illustrations for the original book, but a self-standing creation. Not all the changes from the book are for the best (for instance, setting the story in the present day and its almost horror feel would have looked good in the movie too), but as a whole it holds together well and works without having to have read the book. Nolan plays an intelligent game with the viewer, asking a lot of questions, but also offering some answers. In terms of directing, he handles the movie with his own inimitable style and uses a similar storytelling method that he tried out in his debut movie, Following. The only more serious shortcoming is the pretty annoying partial happy ending; they should have left the ending the same as in the book.
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