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The Prestige (Nolan, 2006)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Jonathan Nolan(screenplay)
Cast: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi


About: In the early 1900's two London stage magicians vie for supremacy with a dangerous game of one-up manship. Each magician strives to do the ultimate illusion, with deadly results.

Review
: If you like Christopher Nolan films with their mysterious existential elements and his highly stylized way of story telling, you should love The Prestige. It works both as a beautifully filmed tale of revenge and jealousy between two top stage magicians....and it has a deep mystery that focuses on who killed who. The movie escalates from a seemingly innocent, yet tragic stage illusion into something much more deadly. True to Nolan's film making style it's a brain twister with several twist and turns, that are interwoven through out the movie.



This is listed as sci-fi, but other than a side story line involving the inventor Tesla played by David Bowie who makes some pretty interesting devices for the stage, it's basically a highly charged drama mystery.

The two leads, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman did a fantastic job of being likeable, yet arrogant and driven by their hatred for each other. Neither are nice people and as the film states, to make it to the top the magician has to be able to get his hands dirty...and dirty they get!

The other notable actor in this is Scarlet Johansson who does more than just look great in her stage costume. She's the linchpin between the two adversaries and acts as a romantic catalyst...and adds a mystery to what her true intentions are.



The Prestige seems to have it all.