THE PRESTIGE (SPOILERS)

[The Vicar]

I just felt like I was betrayed by the ad campaign.
It seemed to set up a duel between a illusionist & a real magician, someone who was doing "real" magic"..when it wasn't that at all.... good film, but I still feel betrayed......

[TonyWilson]

WHAT THE FUCKING FUCKETY FUCK FUCK??????????


This is on general release but isn't playing in Derby!!!!!!! Fucking shit wank crap bollocks twat fuck shit shit fuck crap. I HATE THIS FUCKING BACKWATER TOWN AAAAAAARGH.

[HollywoodBabylon]

WHAT THE FUCKING FUCKETY FUCK FUCK??????????


This is on general release but isn't playing in Derby!!!!!!! Fucking shit wank crap bollocks twat fuck shit shit fuck crap. I HATE THIS FUCKING BACKWATER TOWN AAAAAAARGH.

It's on at my local, thankfully. I'm going to see it tonight. Will it be Abracadabra! or not? Either way, I'm looking to seeing it at last.

[colonel_lugz]

I saw this last night. I really enjoyed it.

Some Spoilers

Chris Nolan has to be one of my favourite working directors, his style feels so effortless and uncomplicated. He leaves you to get into the story without being distracted by unneccessary visual stylings. thats not to say that what is on screen isn't visually pleasing; The Prestige is a beautifully shot film with an amazingly eerie and haunting visuals brought to life by some cracking cinematography. Visually it reminded me very much of Batman Begins and that's a very good thing, this film needs that kind atmosphere to portray the characters and the story to the full affect that it does. Id say that this is one of Nolans best shot films.

The editing follows suit and is seamless, it was vitally important that Nolan got this right when the film is based around performing illusions and the majority of it set in a theatre/stage environment. The whole film flows really well, the pacing is sharp and keeps the story ticking along. I don't think the duration was too long at all, there was enough packed in there to justify it, I could have happily sat there longer.

I loved the story, the rivalry between Bale and Jackman was played out really well with each trying to outdo the other at every turn. The scenes where they each realise they have been set up to read the others journal/diary is particularly well played out. I enjoyed all the twists and turns that were on offer though most were not to difficult to figure out. Bale having a twin brother and swapping roles with him as the assistant was a very nice aspect to the story albeit a bit of a simple one. I wish they had made Bales assistant/brother a little less conspicuos throughout the film so it wasn't such a big give away.
One thing that was a bit irritating (my girlfriend was pretty mad about it) was that after watching such an smartyl made film with and itelligent story and structure that they found it neccessary, after the big reveal, to recap everything that had happened which made it obvious that Bale had a twin brother all along. If you were paying attention you would have A) figured it out anyway or B) know enough not to be treated like an idiot and realise this stuff yourself........just a small thin maybe, but still irritating.

The performances were, for the most part, exemplary. Bale; excellent. Jackman; dito. Sir Michael Caine; cant put a foot wrong and was just top notch here. I loved Andy Serkis (I hope he goes far) and Bowie BOWIE coming out of the lightning.......AWESOME!!, my only criticisisms are for the female leads. Bales wife I just couldn't stand, I really don't think she could hold her head above the water in any scene. Ans as fo Miss Johanson? I have stopped hating her on a personal level but I am yet to see her do work which, justifies the critical acclaiment she recieves.

So, to round up. This is a very good film, but it's not great. On the train ride home I wondered if it would hold up on a repeat viewing, sadly I have to say no. Aside from maybe to see some great performances I have no real desire to see it again. It's like once you learn how the magic trick is done you don't care to see it again.

7.5/10

[HollywoodBabylon]

I went to see this last night, also, full of interest and anticipation. Judging from the reviews I've read so far, it seems to have split opinion down the centre. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect. An abracadabra experience or a damp squid.

What I got was an wholly ingenious and wonderfully crafted movie, recreating it's Victorian era most evocatively and handsomely. It also kept the spirit of Priest's novel and though I knew about the twists and misdirections beforehand (having read the book) it didn't for one moment detract from my enjoyment of the film. The music score, as well, deserves mention.

For those hoping to see a movie primarily about magic shows, tricks and glamorous assistants then, yes, you'll get that, but this is a far deeper and complex film than that. Magic plays a vital part, obviously, but to me this is a story all about evasion, jealously, darkness and mystery taken to destructive and tragic levels. Above all, it's a study in obsession - obsession with trying to obtain the impossible through whatever ruinous and devious means possible, even if that obsession in the end destroys you. The two main characters of Angier and Borden are not the most likeable of people to watch but they make for a great portrayal of how two men can annihilate themselves and each other in the pursuit of excellence, rivarly then revenge. Nolan, I think, has deliberately shown them as cold, underhand characters, left in the sinister shadows of their own making. They're impressively calculating and slippery men who'll stop at nothing in their deadly duel. I honestly felt like I was watching a dance of death between two scorpions. Chilling, detached and unrelenting.

I, too, thought the performances were excellent, bar Scarlett Johannson, whose accent in particular struck me as being a little too forced, too 'clipped' (?). She looked slightly uncomfortable and maybe Keira Knightley or Rachel Weisz would've been better suited. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman were fabulous, playing off one another brilliantly. Jackman's Angier is the showier role of the two, but Hugh still gave an uneasy and desperate edge to him. Bale's more brooding, troubled Borden perfectly suited him. I'm becoming more and more impressed with him as an actor in each movie I see him in. As for Michael Caine, he was his usual excellent self as was Andy Serkis - a great character actor who should get bigger roles. As Tesla, David Bowie was just right, giving him a strange and mysterious air of other-worldiness, complete with a rather impressive East European accent, it has to be said.

So, all in all, I totally disagree with some of the sniffy critical responses that Nolan has received in some quarters of the press that this an overlong, empty and uninvolving movie without adequate character study. Sure, not everyone will enjoy or appreciate it's constant misdirections and manipulations, nor it's sleight-of-hand approach or non-linear narrative. But I did, because what Nolan has made here IMO is an engrossing and intelligent movie; a penetrating study in illusion, deceit and obsession which makes both your mind and imagination work at the same time.
Abracadabra then!

9/10

[Fried Gold]

It was amazing, easily one of the best films of the year for me. (it has been a good year). A gloriously dark tale about sacrifice and obssession, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are brilliant. The film is like a magic trick, they are telling you how it's done the whole way, but you don't pick up on it. You fall for their slight of hand and misdirection. The structure and style of the film seemed designed to correlate with a magic trick, lying successfully to an audience who know they are being lied to.

It is not only well written (the story is told through flasbacks within flashbacks, which reminded me of a Passage to Marseille) but it is beautifully shot, well acted and directed.

David Bowie's introduction through arcs of electricity was steampunkily great. Michael Caine gets better and better with every role. The two leads are superb. I wonder just how far Christian Bale took his method this time. Scarlett Johanson was okay, but she had a distracting accent, falling too far into Winona Ryder territory.

I think every viewer will have a different experience. We all figured out part of the "prestige" at different times.

[cheapest4]

I also greatly enjoyed this movie. Jackman has gone up in my estimation a great deal. Didn't much like the female cast but it wasn't too much of an issue as the relationships between the men and women were never really developed properly. Nolan instead seemed to focus far more on structure and complication. In this respect it seems to lost a bit of humanity.

Can someone tell me why the machine makes things appear in different places - hats, cats, first jackman and then he appears in the same place eveytime when actually doing the trick? - It doesn't make sense.

[doglips]

WHAT THE FUCKING FUCKETY FUCK FUCK??????????


This is on general release but isn't playing in Derby!!!!!!! Fucking shit wank crap bollocks twat fuck shit shit fuck crap. I HATE THIS FUCKING BACKWATER TOWN AAAAAAARGH.

How the fuck have I got in Loughborough then?

[colonel_lugz]

Can someone tell me why the machine makes things appear in different places - hats, cats, first jackman and then he appears in the same place eveytime when actually doing the trick? - It doesn't make sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

Read.....learn.......then write me a 4000 word essay answering your own question

[Fried Gold]

SPOILERAGE - - - - -- - Were Fallon/Borden twins? I came away thinking that Borden had used a Tesla device once and made a duplicate but not reacted in the same way as Angiers. But now I appear to have been wrong.

Can someone tell me why the machine makes things appear in different places - hats, cats, first jackman and then he appears in the same place everytime when actually doing the trick? - It doesn't make sense.

He was a bit ahead of his time was ol'Tesla. Some of his more theoretical ideas seemed like science fiction at the time, but were later re-conceived and developed by others into theories such as particle-wave duality and quantum mechanics.

Whether or not Tesla actually thought up an idea like the machine in the film, it appears could be an attempt to convert the matter of the hat/car/jackman into electrical energy and back again.

[TheBaxter]

i think they were definitely twin brothers. in the film, tesla never actually made a device for borden. the one he made for angier was the first, he only let angier think he had made one before because he needed the funding. that's why tesla didn't realize at first that the device was working, just in a way he didn't expect.

[doglips]

SPOILERAGE - - - - -- - Were Fallon/Borden twins? I came away thinking that Borden had used a Tesla device once and made a duplicate but not reacted in the same way as Angiers. But now I appear to have been wrong.

Can someone tell me why the machine makes things appear in different places - hats, cats, first jackman and then he appears in the same place everytime when actually doing the trick? - It doesn't make sense.

He was a bit ahead of his time was ol'Tesla. Some of his more theoretical ideas seemed like science fiction at the time, but were later re-conceived and developed by others into theories such as particle-wave duality and quantum mechanics.

Whether or not Tesla actually thought up an idea like the machine in the film, it appears could be an attempt to convert the matter of the hat/car/jackman into electrical energy and back again.

There are a few conspiracy theories around Tesla's life, one being that the American government got him to build a death ray and another that says he experimented and was ultimately successful with teleportation.

Saw this last night, thought it was pretty good.

Caine and Bowie were both great. I thought Bale looked a little bored - Like the whole filming process had been dragged out a little long. This kind of came through in the film for me too. The core story was there, just a little overbaked by Nolan. I enjoyed it though, the scenes in Tesla's lab and on his balcony were great.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

HOw farking brilliant was The Prestige?!!?!?!?!?!??!

Man what an excellent movie!!!! Thouroughly satisfying. I dunno if I expected it to be that good. I love the way that the movie was twisting all the time, always bringing up mysteries and had you asking questions on the edge of your seat all the way to the very end. Mostly I love the way that the twists always ended up with both lead characters outdoing and beating the other, even when you thought the fight was finally over. An intelligent movie, one that I loved trying to work the puzzle out of, whilst still keeping up with the developments as they continued to unfold, it was so enjoyable giving my brain a good work out trying to unlock the secrets in my own head. The final twist I sort of half suggested vaguely to myself earlier in the film, I doubt I would have concluded with this though, so it was still a suprise to have it revealed in the climax.

Great performances all round, Christian Bale's accent I accepted fairly quickly and became more relevant as the film went on, he's still there with a complete focus with his character, Hugh Jackman I still have a problem accepting. Sometimes I wonder if he's acting that much at all or can deliver intensity as much as I require, and funnily enough I found him to finally hit the nail on the head when he was playing his personas, and it's here that I can totally buy into the guy. But intruigingly enough, I think the most gripping performance was from Michael Caine who with this film has finally shown some kind of career relaunch, as this weren't some quick 4 scene cameo or anything but real character work all the way throughout, and I don't know when he's ever shown such intensity and in straightly playing some actual character and not just being himself. This is pretty much the exact same thing I'd say about David Bowie too, and isn't it weird how Christopher Nolan, the same with Batman, manages to get so many well known actors in a film and not only make them actually become their roles and dissapear from feeling like a gimmicky star appearence, but how he gives them so much screen time and allows them to fill out their roles so it's just as much their film as anyone elses. None of these guys were wasted in this film, the way it normally seems to be in many others.

Right, ening now, this isn't supposed to be a review, this started out intending to be only a few lines anyway, so don't slag my writing off or if it get's it's ass kicked by TITG's Brokeass review.

I just wanna give a shout out to others who've seen the film and wanna conversate about it, or debate over some questions on it. EG, (SPOILERS)



how did Hugh Jackman convincingly pull of a Lord at the end?


Also, is it me, or does Christian Bale's wife in this, not arf remind me of Madam Geneva - in a good complimentary way for both of them?

[HollywoodBabylon]

HOw farking brilliant was The Prestige?!!?!?!?!?!??!

Man what an excellent movie!!!! Thouroughly satisfying. I dunno if I expected it to be that good. I love the way that the movie was twisting all the time, always bringing up mysteries and had you asking questions on the edge of your seat all the way to the very end. Mostly I love the way that the twists always ended up with both lead characters outdoing and beating the other, even when you thought the fight was finally over. An intelligent movie, one that I loved trying to work the puzzle out of, whilst still keeping up with the developments as they continued to unfold, it was so enjoyable giving my brain a good work out trying to unlock the secrets in my own head. The final twist I sort of half suggested vaguely to myself earlier in the film, I doubt I would have concluded with this though, so it was still a suprise to have it revealed in the climax.

Great performances all round, Christian Bale's accent I accepted fairly quickly and became more relevant as the film went on, he's still there with a complete focus with his character, Hugh Jackman I still have a problem accepting. Sometimes I wonder if he's acting that much at all or can deliver intensity as much as I require, and funnily enough I found him to finally hit the nail on the head when he was playing his personas, and it's here that I can totally buy into the guy. But intruigingly enough, I think the most gripping performance was from Michael Caine who with this film has finally shown some kind of career relaunch, as this weren't some quick 4 scene cameo or anything but real character work all the way throughout, and I don't know when he's ever shown such intensity and in straightly playing some actual character and not just being himself. This is pretty much the exact same thing I'd say about David Bowie too, and isn't it weird how Christopher Nolan, the same with Batman, manages to get so many well known actors in a film and not only make them actually become their roles and dissapear from feeling like a gimmicky star appearence, but how he gives them so much screen time and allows them to fill out their roles so it's just as much their film as anyone elses. None of these guys were wasted in this film, the way it normally seems to be in many others.

Right, ening now, this isn't supposed to be a review, this started out intending to be only a few lines anyway, so don't slag my writing off or if it get's it's ass kicked by TITG's Brokeass review.

I just wanna give a shout out to others who've seen the film and wanna conversate about it, or debate over some questions on it. EG, (SPOILERS)



how did Hugh Jackman convincingly pull of a Lord at the end?


Also, is it me, or does Christian Bale's wife in this, not arf remind me of Madam Geneva - in a good complimentary way for both of them?

I get the impression, Kirk, that this is the kind of movie that'll be regarded much better in years to come. It got some fairly mixed reviews on release (mostly positive it has to be said; but also some negative) but I thought it had all the ingredients that showed just why Nolan is one of the most promising directors out there: a great eye for storytelling, a non-patronising intelligence towards his audience and not being afraid to incorporate an independent-like creativity into the mainstream. Aronofsky got's the same type of attitude and that's why I'm hugely looking forward to seeing The Fountain when it opens here.

[colonel_lugz]

Also, is it me, or does Christian Bale's wife in this, not arf remind me of Madam Geneva - in a good complimentary way for both of them?

I'll see what she makes of that one

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Did you think the same thing? I think it's in the voice mostly.

[Fried Gold]

how did Hugh Jackman convincingly pull of a Lord at the end?

Not quite sure what you mean? Can you clarify?

[Al Shut]

Finally saw this and have a question.

in Spoiler tiny:
Is there a way of telling which of the twins is alive in the end and which got hanged?

how did Hugh Jackman convincingly pull of a Lord at the end?

I think he was a real Lord all the time. He says it to Bale in the prison. He also has a shitload of money to pay Tesla and somewhere in the beginning he said he changed his name to not embaress his family.

[Ribbons]

Finally saw this and have a question.

in Spoiler tiny:
Is there a way of telling which of the twins is alive in the end and which got hanged?

I don't know. Did he apologize to his ingenieur about one of the women he was in love with? Because if he did, then you can sort of figure out who loved who, although I think besides for that it's really impossible to tell who did what.

[Al Shut]

sounds right, and I think he really did apologize.

Thanks, should have thought of that myself.

[Pacino86845]

I finally saw this on the weekend, and I had fairly high expectations, being a Chris Nolan fan, but The Prestige met them so easily.

I was particularly surprised at how SAD the film ended up being, a far more human story than I would have ever imagined. I would even go so far as to say that The Prestige is Nolan's most human film to date, with Insomnia at a very close second.

One thing that bugged me about the cinematography are the darker shots with orange in them. I don't respond well to orange night scenes, I had the same issue with Batman Begins. Otherwise the lightbulbs on top of the mountain, and so many more compositions (the Tesla machines, Tesla's entrance, the er, casket room) were simply splendid.

Scarlett Johansson was useless in the film, but I was prepared for that after having read some of the reviews.

Nonetheless, I give it a very solid 8/10, it's one my favorite 2006 releases.

[AtomicHyperbole]

The Prestige versus The Illusionist, then Pacino?

I've not seen The Prestige, but The Illusionist was great.

[Pacino86845]

The Prestige versus The Illusionist, then Pacino?

I've not seen The Prestige, but The Illusionist was great.

Ah, I have the inverse problem: The Illusionist is still unseen!

[AtomicHyperbole]

AHA! We can swap views on the DVD thread when I get around to it too...

Don't know when the Prestige is out on DVD here though.

[CeeBeeUK]

One thing that was a bit irritating (my girlfriend was pretty mad about it) was that after watching such an smartyl made film with and itelligent story and structure that they found it neccessary, after the big reveal, to recap everything that had happened which made it obvious that Bale had a twin brother all along. If you were paying attention you would have A) figured it out anyway or B) know enough not to be treated like an idiot and realise this stuff yourself........just a small thin maybe, but still irritating.

Now imagine watching the slightly annoying recap scene with two old ladies in the row behind muttering, "Why did he do that?"; "Who's he, I thought he was dead", etc.

Cue my Wife turning and harshly whispering, "Discuss it after the film", and my muttering, "If you want to know what is going on, he is trying to explain to you, morons!".

Swearing was narrowly avoided!

[papalazeru]

I just saw this.

I thought it had some great performances but I thought the Illusionist was better. Two different films about obsession but I found Ed Nortons performance much more compelling and...to be honest, knowing they are both about magic already set you up to think there will be some twists. I think the Illusionist did it better and Paul Giamatti's performance was great plus the reveal is so much more rewarding i think.

I always knew that Christian Bale had a twin because the camera wouldn't linger on him at all, that and the whole "Today to mean it, yesterday you didn't" made me think that the director thought the audience was stupid.

[MasterWhedon]

I thought it had some great performances but I thought the Illusionist was better. Two different films about obsession but I found Ed Nortons performance much more compelling and...to be honest, knowing they are both about magic already set you up to think there will be some twists. I think the Illusionist did it better and Paul Giamatti's performance was great plus the reveal is so much more rewarding i think.

Really? Because I waaaaaaaaaaaaaay prefer this to The Illusionist. I thought Norton's character seemed to distant and removed throughout the whole film, that some of his tricks were so ridiculously impossible (and only accomplishable through CGI) that I wanted to know how he did it. His "big trick" at the end felt like a cheap movie gimmick more than an actual, plausible illusion because there was no basis that he'd be able to pull something like that off. Sure, he was an illusionist, but not even a hint as to how and why he's so good?

The Prestige works for me because it's a game, because it's constantly shifting. Even if you figure out the twist, there's another one and another one and another one. It's about how magic works versus being about the magic itself--which, I guess, is more interesting to me.

[tapehead]

I preferred The Prestige as well, in part because I could see the denouement finale a la 'Lady From Shaghai' (or more obviously, as Moriarty's review mentions, 'The Usual Suspects') coming from very early on. While The Illusionist features solid if unimpressive work from Norton, and a solid, like a tree trunk performance from Biel, sadly the normally exellent Giamatti seemed very one-note to me in this. By comparison, I'm already looking forward to seeing the Prestige again soon - so much fascinating detail in the marvellous inventions, and apart from an equally plank-ish Scarlett Johansson, a wholly outstanding cast.

[papalazeru]

I thought Norton's character seemed to distant and removed throughout the whole film, that some of his tricks were so ridiculously impossible (and only accomplishable through CGI) that I wanted to know how he did it. His "big trick" at the end felt like a cheap movie gimmick more than an actual, plausible illusion because there was no basis that he'd be able to pull something like that off. Sure, he was an illusionist, but not even a hint as to how and why he's so good?

Erm....Tesla's marvellous cloning machine. Lemme see how THAT works?

[TheBaxter]

i've just begun reading the book. i really liked the movie. so far, the book version looks like some things i really liked about the movie may not happen, or may happen differently, in the book. i'm not sure if it's cos i already saw the movie, but the twins thing seems even more obvious in the book (like when borden writes something like "i am going to describe blah-blah-blah, even though i disagree with me"). i don't want to give away any differences between book and film yet, but i'll post more on that in tiny-text once i'm done reading it.

[MasterWhedon]

I thought Norton's character seemed to distant and removed throughout the whole film, that some of his tricks were so ridiculously impossible (and only accomplishable through CGI) that I wanted to know how he did it. His "big trick" at the end felt like a cheap movie gimmick more than an actual, plausible illusion because there was no basis that he'd be able to pull something like that off. Sure, he was an illusionist, but not even a hint as to how and why he's so good?

Erm....Tesla's marvellous cloning machine. Lemme see how THAT works?

That's fine and good, but at least The Prestige takes you behind the scenes and shows you what's a trick and what's magic. Yes, Tesla's machine is fantastical and a bit of movie magic, but it's given enough believability in the world, whereas the holographic child walking from the back of the theater to the front in The Illusionist--which is supposed to be a "real" illusion--seems impossible for him to have orchestrated in that time period.

[papalazeru]

but isn't that the beauty of magic?

[MasterWhedon]

but isn't that the beauty of magic?

But it was movie magic passing for magic.

I'm giving myself a headache...

[papalazeru]

Yeah. Me too MW.

Both were good in very different ways. I have a preference for one, you the other but at least we agree that both were good.

[MasterWhedon]

Yeah. Me too MW.

Both were good in very different ways. I have a preference for one, you the other but at least we agree that both were good.

It's true. And I don't mean to come across as overly critical of The Illusionist, because I did like it a lot. It sure was purdy to look at.

[Ribbons]

i've just begun reading the book. i really liked the movie. so far, the book version looks like some things i really liked about the movie may not happen, or may happen differently, in the book. i'm not sure if it's cos i already saw the movie, but the twins thing seems even more obvious in the book (like when borden writes something like "i am going to describe blah-blah-blah, even though i disagree with me"). i don't want to give away any differences between book and film yet, but i'll post more on that in tiny-text once i'm done reading it.

hahaha. It's so true. I don't know if I'd have figured out exactly what was going on if I read the book first, but all the mysterious clues were screamingly obvious after watching the movie. "Why did I say that yesterday! I told me that was too close to revealing the Pact. I will keep going on, even though I shouldn't have written what I did."

[Fried Gold]

I thought Norton's character seemed to distant and removed throughout the whole film, that some of his tricks were so ridiculously impossible (and only accomplishable through CGI) that I wanted to know how he did it. His "big trick" at the end felt like a cheap movie gimmick more than an actual, plausible illusion because there was no basis that he'd be able to pull something like that off. Sure, he was an illusionist, but not even a hint as to how and why he's so good?

Erm....Tesla's marvellous cloning machine. Lemme see how THAT works?

Look up "quantum entanglement" or "entanglement-assisted teleportation"

[John-Locke]

Watched this tonight, had a little think about it and now I'll write a few words on it.

SPOILERS!

Firstly I have read everyones reviews here, I'm with Baxter & Wonka, I figured out the twists way too early, I thought Bale might have a twin as soon as his wife walked in the room with the chair in front of the door and the man left and we didn't get to see his face properly, It was almost as if Nolan wanted you to know this from early on, Micheal Caine even tells you but the Audience is expected to be like Jackman and wants there to be more to it. As soon as there was the scene with the finger stumps bleeding like they did on the day he lost them I knew for sure.

I also knew Jackman was the Mysterious Lord trying to get Bales' secrets as soon as the dude visiting Bale in prison mentioned him because of Jackman mentioning to his wife about his name change and embarrassment to his family thing earlier, again it's almost like Nolan wants you to know from the start that Jackman never died so you can come up with theories about him Killing his double (the drunk Actor) and framing Bale.

I also knew that there were going to be two cats as soon as they put him in the machine, I still wasn't sure what the relevance of the Hats shown at the start were until then because well it could have been something else like a disaster or symbolic to the end of Magic being popular, it was something I had considered before the invention was revealed but I didn't want there to be any magic/fantastical Science in the film so I didn't really like the invention until I realised the implications.

I did enjoy the film, I liked all the performances (even Scarletts), the cinematography, the sound effects (the sound of both necks snapping was very effective), editing, score, sets. costumes etc, everything was done to a T.

So yeah, I figured it out early but I'm left haunted by what Jackman did to himself, it's a completely fucked up thing to do, commit suicide nightly just so your clone can get the applause, I just wish there was an "OH SHIT" moment where everything suddenly clicked and I realised how the wool had been pulled over my eyes, in this case I could see everything coming from a mile off, I don't feel the need to watch it again in a hurry because I feel like I noticed everything first time around that the director probably thought would reward audience members watching it again.

7.5/10

MUST TRY HARDER NOLAN!

[Ribbons]

I just wish there was an "OH SHIT" moment where everything suddenly clicked and I realised how the wool had been pulled over my eyes, in this case I could see everything coming from a mile off

MUST TRY HARDER NOLAN!

I agree, although I did love that scene right after one of the Borden twins was hanged, and the pink ruber ball drops out of the dark into Angier's hand right before he's shot. That's the closest thing to an "Oh shit" moment in the film, I think.

[Pacino86845]

Hmm, when I'd seen it I didn't care much for the "twists" in the film. Admittedly, I didn't figure them out from the opening shot like some of you others, but I got them well before the reveals, and it didn't phase my view of the film.

At the end of the whole thing, as a film viewer, the "prestige" of The Prestige were not the twists to do with the Transporting Man acts, but rather with what the story was really about. The prestige was what the two men were reduced to in their petty competition, and how sad their situation turned out to be.

[tapehead]

For me it was much more a film of the marvellous illusion and then the gradual reveal of the pathetic state of 'the man behind the curtain'

[Pacino86845]

For me it was much more a film of the marvellous illusion and then the gradual reveal of the pathetic state of 'the man behind the curtain'

Er, that's what I was trying to say... thanks for putting it so concisely.

[tapehead]

we are in agreement

To compare it to The Illusionist again, I think that was the film that went for the big surprise 'Usual Suspects' ending (as I said in an earlier post, from Mori's review), The Prestige, by comparison, kept giving you clues as it went along that things were not quite as they appeared. I think JL notes a few times that it 'was almost as if the Nolan wanted you' to notice certain things, I think that Nolan did, but as FG said above,

they are telling you how it's done the whole way, but you don't pick up on it. ...The structure and style of the film seemed designed to correlate with a magic trick, lying successfully to an audience who know they are being lied to.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

I'll say this. With all the shots of Bale's mysterious partner who just kept on popping up, I pretty much felt that something was up with him and that he may well be the clue to Bale's trick. BUt - from what I gathered from the trailer (and if this is deliberate, then this is sooo clever of Nolan to make a red herring of what you thought the premise was, from that trailer) was that Bale was actually using something that genuinely was a scientific invention or REAL magic, to fool everyone. Therefore from the beginning, I was pretty much sent on a wild goose chase and decoyed from the idea that SPOILERS... he was using a twin.

Again, I had that feeling that his partner held the secret to his trick, and that he might be part of it, but to be quite frank, I wondered if I bothered pursuing this theory whilst watching the film as much as I could/should have done, as part of me wanted to be told how the trick was done, rather than ruin the suprise and figure it out, whilst at the same time, I would prefer to just sit back and concentrate on the film itself and just appreciate and enjoy it.

Yeah. THEY'RE the reasons why I didn't figure out the ending as much as you all you smart, smug, overanalaysing gentlemen!

There. Now I don't feel so stupid.

Oh, and wasn't Michael Caine suprisingly brilliant in ths film? Rather than just be Michael Caine sleepwalking through a film, he actually became that character, didn't he? He might well have been my favourite part of the film. That ain't an easy thing to do, compared to the other 2 acting talents of... Scarlett Johannson's Left Breast Part of Cleavage, and Right Breast Part of Cleavage.

[tangerine]

I saw The Prestige yesterday.

It left me feeling something like

And

And

It was very enjoyable, but I was way too tired to be watching it last night I think. The thing that made the most impression on me was that Michael Caine's character sounded just like Kirk!

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

What the FAAAUUURRRRHHHHKKK!?!?!?!?!?!?

[tangerine]

What??? Course he did!!! Your accent, spot on!

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

He sounds nothing like me!!!!!!

Though, I can do an OK to hilarious impression of him though.

[tangerine]

Nah man, you're not changing my mind. Fact is, every time he spoke, I closed my eyes and thought of you......



Omg. I'm hopeless.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

You sure you don't mean Christian Bale's? He's got a London accent the most out of everyone in the film. I really don't get this if you don't.