Weekly Review -- Prestigious in every way

The Prestige (2006) -- A cinematic riddle with striking twists is how one could describe Christopher Nolan's new film. The Prestige -- named after the final act of an illusion -- tells the story of two Victorian era magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), whose friendship turns into rivalry after an on-stage tragedy. With engineer John Cutter's (Michael Caine) and Dr. Nikola Tesla's (David Bowie) assistance, Angier schemes to overshadow Borden's popularity; meanwhile, Borden's zeal may cost him his relationship with wife Sarah (Rebecca Hall). Each man becomes obsessed with stealing another's secrets and proving who the better magician is, and each one's life takes a turn for the worse. The non-linear, dizzying storytelling style is a trademark of Nolan's, and it fits like a glove with the film's themes of trickery, perception and blind obsession. Jackman and Bale make for a thrilling duo, both of their characters seething with envy and hostility, but also an underlying hint of admiration for one another's skill. Caine lends strong support as business-oriented Cutter, while Bowie makes an eccentric turn as conflicted Tesla. Hall is a discovery as Sarah, whose outlook on life clashes with Alfred's and whose character evolution is gradual and dramatic. Special mention needs to go to Wally Pfister's gorgeous cinematography, which makes the Colorado scenes appear like sepia postcards, but transforms its tones into rustic nostalgia for the London sequences. As for the twists, I thought they were fresh and unpredictable. The story is set up as a puzzle that keeps piecing its details up to the logical conclusion. Just like Inside Man, which struck me with its ingenious screenplay, The Prestige is a film that requires concentration and offers intelligent resolutions to its questions, which are rare qualities in today's films.

10/10