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Volume 72, Issue 48,
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Life & Arts 'The Prestige' lives up to promise Dark tale captures audience attention; stylish visuals carry film when story test believability by JAKE HAMILTON
Are you watching closely? You'd better be. Director Christopher Nolan's morbid and moody, yet utterly magnificent, direction of a film does not require its audience to watch closely -- it demands it. His latest film begins at the end and returns to the beginning to tell the story in three separate linear lines, and the audience is left to decipher when they're switching in and out between them. The Prestige, named after the final turn in a magic trick, follows a close partnership between two magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) that quickly turns into an obsessive rivalry when Bale creates the ultimate illusion. Though this may be the second magician film in the past few months following The Illusionist, it is naive to compare the two, as both carry entirely different stories within the realm of turn-of-the-century magic. While The Illusionist is a deeper love story, The Prestige carries a tragic tale of the dark side of ambition and the consummation of obsession. This is a film that's never afraid to get its hands dirty. Engrossing, spellbinding and often downright disturbing, The Prestige delivers on all levels. The secret to the film is that the intensity lies in the investment. You come to truly care about these characters, investing your emotions into their story, which helps in the end. The final twist, though clever, wouldn't have worked had the audience not just spent more than two hours penetrating the secret obsessions of these men. Just about every aspect of the film is mesmerizing. It may be slow at times, but it's simply impossible to take your eyes off of the spectacular production values of the film. Lavished in stylish images, The Prestige keeps your visual attention when the story fails to. Both Jackman and Bale are so charismatic that viewers will cheer for them even when they're doing the most atrocious things. In the end, you'll hate yourself for loving them. Michael Caine adds a welcomed sense of classic Hollywood honor to the sinister mood set by his co-stars, while Scarlett Johansson doesn't do much other than speak with a bad accent. It's great to see Andy Serkis taking a live action role without over-acting (much like he did with his role of the cook in last year's King Kong), and you might be surprised by a great performance from one famous musician playing the infamous Nikola Tesla. The final twist of the film (there are several) seemed a bit too banal and coincidental. While it had a chance to end on a dark and satisfying note, it goes one step further with a last twist to tidy things up with a secret that feels more like a cheat than a surprise. While your satisfaction with the film's twist might simply depend on who you're cheering for, the final resolution requires more of a leap of faith than some audience members may be willing to give. Still, The Prestige manages to entertain more than most films this year. It's a movie that you'll want to watch again immediately, and one that will likely improve with repeat viewings. High caliber on all levels, and often very intricate, this disturbing look into the hell of obsession demands your attention, all the while asking one very important question: Are you watching closely?
The Prestige Rated: PG-13 for violence Starring: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson Touchstone Pictures Verdict: This dark and moody thriller is easily worthy
of your money, attention and occasional lapse of belief.
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