I just saw The Prestige and while not the best movie of the year, it is really really good. I’m going 8 out of 10. It man be too slick and not the best written, but it is captivating and completely enjoyable. Not because of the magic (which i thought was really cool) but because of the rivalry between Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale and their obsession to being the best in London.
This film reminds me of a quote i heard from Steven Spielberg when he was doing the DVD commentary of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He remarked that he made that movie as a young man and it’s the type of film he would never make today. That is a movie where a man follows his gut and beliefs even though it leads to the destruction of his entire family. This is a similar movie. It’s about dreams, ambition and the sacrifice required to be the best. Jon Faverau’s character in Friends went through a similar ordeal when he was trying to be the worlds best Ultimate Fighting Champion. However, that was about 1/100 as good as this. As the film unwinds, you find yourself amazed at what the two are doing to themselves and to those they love, yet you can’t look away. It’s worth your while to check it out.
The film also does a great job of juggling between the Victorian age and industrial revolution, traditional actors (Caine) and rockstars (David Bowie), traditional film (analog) and modern techniques (digital), and most importantly between true the illusions of magic and actual science and innovation. Also, no one seems to be talking about the true rivalry to come out of this one. Do you think it’s too early to begin talking about a Wolverine vs. Batman film?
