From Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Memento) comes The Prestige, a mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy, full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with deadly consequences.
From the time they first met as young magicians, Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) were competitors. While working under the lead of ingeniuer Cutter (played with polish and poise by Sir Michael Caine) the two begin to develop their craft and compete with each other for stage time.
The friendly competition turns into bitter rivalry when a routine trick featuring Angier's wife Julia (Piper Perabo) as the beautiful assistant who is bound and submerged into a tank of water which is locked, goes horribly wrong.
Borden and Angier are in on the trick, playing members of the audience who come up to inspect not only the tank but to also tie the lovely girl and make sure the knots are secure. Borden is in charge of the wrists and ties the wrong knot - one that will make it difficult for Julia to slip out of in time before she runs out of air. Angier believes this to be intentional, and as his wife dies in front of him he begins to obsess over ruining Borden's life.
After Borden earns 10 minutes of stage time in front of an audience, Angier strikes out to out-do his rival, leading him down a path full of deceit, obsession and sabotage.
Angier enlists a new assistant in the shape (the lovely shape, may I add) of Scarlett Johansson. Olivia Wenscombe (Johansson) is sent by Angier to spy on Borden - the plan being to find out the secret to his most amazing trick: The Transporting Man.
The performances by Bale and Jackman are flawless. It's quite obvious that both men were completely engulfed by their characters and understood them completely. Sir Michael Caine is brilliant as the wise teacher figure Cutter and Johansson, Andy Serkis and David Bowie hold their own in seamlessly integrated supporting roles.
The Prestige is gothically twisted yet romanticized with its Victorian backdrops and powerful performances. Lives hang in the balance, obsessions control your every move and you will get your money's worth - witnessing something that is sure to shock and amaze.
While the plot may confuse those moviegoers who prefer linear storylines, The Prestige is a perfect example of mystical Victorian noir, combining elements of horror, suspense, drama, science fiction and romance into one spellbinding film.
(src: www.movieweb.com)
