The Prestige

Watched the movie The Prestige the other night. This was a movie I wanted to see at the theatre but was never able to get there. I decided to rent this the other night and I quite thoroughly enjoyed this movie. This was clearly a movie of deception, obviously as magicians live by a code of "deception" to entertain their audience. But there is much more to this movie then just this. Starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, this movie with its beautiful cinematography and design, gives the viewers a real sense of what life was like during the Victorian period. It also gives the viewers a real sense of what magicians lived like back in the day as well. They had to fight for their audience much like entertainers still do today. They had to deceive to succeed and to gain the audience they desired.

Their really wasn't a clear protagonist or antagonist in this movie. The two main characters, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, played by Jackman and Bale respectively, both had their strengths and their flaws. They needed to one up each other to win in the battle of the magicians. It also helped that they hated each other, since Angier blamed Borden for the death of his wife. Also, Angier wanted to steal Borden's secret of the ultimate magic trick. The relationship between the two characters was one based on hatred and jealousy, but neither one was an evil man. They were both loving, caring men but had the fatal flaw of the need to defeat each other. They both needed to deceive to be the better man and the victor in their battle.

Michael Cain was very good as Angier's man, Cutter, who helped Angier create his magic tricks and helped him attempt to find Borden's secret.

Overall this was a very good movie and the extras on the DVD were very interesting as well. It has some very interesting docs on Christopher Nolan's, the director, vision of the movie. Check them out if you get a chance.

Rent this movie...you will enjoy it. I know i did.

Take care and enjoy the movies!!!