FlickDirect Movie Review
The Prestige (2006) Review
With Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman cast as the rivals it's a heavy hitting cast. However, David Bowie cast picture-perfect as Nicolai Tesla steals the show. He makes his actor-ly rivals ... disappear.
Movies about magic need to do two things:
1. They need to take us behind the scenes.
2. They can't ruin the illusion.
As the movie says, a trick explained becomes mundane--uninteresting. So this is a fine line to walk. Ultimately The Prestige does some stuff that's jaw-dropping in terms of what you'd expect but it's Hollywood so I don't think it has to play fair--and for my money, it plays fair enough. You see how some of the tricks are done: some are clever. Some are gruesome. There's a trick they'll never sufficiently explain (and, as I said, that's okay). The story is told out of order--misdirection? You can decide.
There are some reveals throughout the movie that are well (and subtly telegraphed--subtle enough that they may not generate an "oh yeah!?" moment, well enough that when the two magicians watch a famous Chinese magician getting into a carriage and comment on his sacrifice in pretending in public to always be a cripple that we can see later on at least one of them knew what he was talking about).
If the movie has a weakness it's that Michael Caine is the most likable guy in the whole movie ... by far. I mean the two stage guys do have some elements of sympathy to them but if you do step back just a bit it's Jerk and Jerkier. This does not really endear me to the show in the way I'd have preferred.
So, yeah: The Prestige. Nasty enough to be good. A little too nasty to be great!
Cast:
Directed By:
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 128 minutes
Distributed By: Touchstone Pictures
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Learn more about The Prestige , including cast, crew, and release details, in the FlickDirect Movie Database. Read more film reviews from Marco Chacon .
The Prestige images are courtesy of Touchstone Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
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