by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Christopher Nolan blew audiences away with his time-bending indie thriller Memento back in 2000 and continued to impress with his big budget epic Batman Begins in 2005. The fairly new director has managed to once again please both critics and Joe Moviegoer with his latest film The Prestige, which is now available on DVD.
In Victorian-era London, in a time where magicians were like rock stars, two budding illusionists find themselves locked in a bitter rivalry after an accident makes one of those men a widower. Showman Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and rough-edged purist Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) were once friends who worked together, playing ringers in other magic acts while honing their own skills. Angier’s wife Julia (Piper Perabo) was also in the act, serving as an assistant to one of the more popular illusionists. When a trick goes terribly wrong due in part to Borden’s cockiness, Angier makes it his mission to out do the man whom he blames for is wife’s untimely death. With the help of his illusion engineer, Harry Cutter (Michael Caine), Angier sets out to make a name for himself, while his rival does the same with the assistance of a mysterious ingeneur named Fallon.
Unable to allow either man to taste success, the two enemies sabotage each other’s tricks, stealing each other’s acts and doing all they can to discredit the other. When Bordon unveils the ultimate trick, “The Transported Man,” all Angier can think of is figuring out how he does it. His quest for answers leads him to Nikola Tesla (David Bowie), an electrical genius who may hold the key to all of Borden’s secrets. Meanwhile, those same secrets have Borden’s professional life soaring while his personal life goes down the drain. Both his wife Sarah (Rebecca Hall) and his mistress Olivia (Scarlett Johansson) feel neglected and his young daughter Jess (Samantha Mahurin) is caught in the middle.
The Prestige is based on the award-winning 1995 novel by Christopher Priest. Director Christopher Nolan collaborated with his brother Jonathan on the adaptation of the complex book and mirrored the story after the three essential acts of a great magic trick: the Pledge (or the set up), the Turn (where something ordinary becomes extraordinary) and the Prestige (when the magician does the impossible). In that way, the film in itself is like one two-hour long magic trick, leaving the audience amazed and wanting more. The Prestige is now available on DVD, allowing viewers to experience and re-experience this amazing film whenever they want.
The Prestige DVD is surprisingly light on the bonus features. There, unfortunately, is no audio-commentary track or deleted scenes, which by now should be standard issue on such releases. Still, there is an interesting five-part making-of featurette that, when watched using the “Play All” option, clocks in at around 20 minutes. Here, Nolan, the cast and Priest cover the production, the story and pay (an albeit brief) tribute to real-life scientist, Tesla. The supplements are concluded with a four-part photo gallery with stills from the production and some of the poster art used during the film.
The Prestige takes the audience by surprise with all of its twists and turns. The highs and lows of the film’s subjects become our own personal roller coaster ride and, no matter which character you’re rooting for, you find yourself sucked in thanks in large part to the stellar performances by the two leads. Bale always impresses, but it’s Jackman who gives the performance of his career, hitting all the right notes as the emotionally complex Angier. Scarlett Johansson, whose role is relatively small, compared to that of Michael Caine, curiously graces the cover of the DVD. While this is no doubt an attempt to lure some of her fans to the video store, those expecting an extensive, knockout performance from the blonde bombshell will most likely be disappointed. Still, she makes an impression with her brief role and continues to show a lot of promise. Thanks to the collaboration between Nolan and cinematographer Wally Pfister, the use of hand-held cameras and minimalist lighting makes The Prestige rarely feels
like a period piece set in one of the most notoriously stuffy eras known to man. Mixing this intimate atmosphere with the incredible storyline produces one of the most entertaining, captivating films in recent memory.
The Prestige is a film that’s difficult to classify because it’s got a little bit of everything. But, what really makes The Prestige unique when held up against today’s similar films is that the payoff is truly satisfying. While you’re able to discern right away that a twist of some kind will happen, the end result is almost completely unexpected. And, because of all the little clues given throughout, one can watch The Prestige several times and pick up something new each time.
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