Directed by Christopher Nolan The Prestige based on the 1995 novel by Christopher Priest follows the story of 2 rival magicians set at the end of the 19th century London. The magicians Alfred Borden played by Christian Bale and Robert Angier played by Hugh Jackman are bitter rivals who once worked together and were good friends. Their friendship ended when Angier’s wife fails to escape a water tank trick due to a mistake made by Borden while tying her up. Thus began their rivalry as they both started their careers as stage magicians, always finding a way to one up each other. Angier takes the name “The Great Danton” continuing to work with John Cutter a stage engineer played by Michael Cain, Borden takes up the stage name “The Professor” and works with his mysterious partner Fallon.
Their rivalry continues when they keep trying to one up each other by performing seemingly impossible tricks, their rivalry takes dark turn when Angier sabotages one of Borden’s tricks. Angier replaces a bullet that Borden removed beforehand for a bullet catching trick, Angier plans to kill Borden but Fallon thwarts the attempt. This attempt on Borden’s life though unsuccessful causes him to loose 2 of his fingers and his reputation. Borden decides to make Angier pay by sabotaging one of his famous tricks the disappearing bird, when selected as a volunteer Borden messes with the contraption that hides the caged bird so that it not only kills the bird but injures another volunteer. This in turn diminishes Angier’s reputation as well.
Borden comes up with a new trick to regain his lost reputation, he seemingly teleports between 2 wardrobes almost instantaneously. Angier cant figure out the secret to the transporting man trick, he decides to imitate the trick by hiring a body double to come out the other wardrobe. The imitation is a success but Angier a very egoistical man hates the fact that his body double gets all the cheers. Borden easily sees through the ruse and sabotages Angier again by taking away the padding meant to dampen his fall when he falls through the wardrobe, this cripples Angier and fuels his hatred even more. Hell bent on getting the secret to the trick Angier acquires an encoded diary that belongs to Borden, he gets the key to decode the diary after threating Fallon’s life.
The Diary leads Angier to Nikola Tesla played by David Bowie who he believes to have created a machine for Borden. Angier travels to America hoping convince Tesla to build a machine for him. Angier finds out that the diary was just a distraction planted by Borden with the help of his assistant Oliva played by Scarlett Johansson, Tesla nevertheless decides to try and build such a machine for Angier. After numerous failed attempts Tesla and Angier are about to give-up when Mr. Alley Tesla’s assistant played by Andy Serkis discovers that the machine didn’t completely fail. The machine was cloning the objects placed inside it and transporting them a short distance away. Tesla warns Angier to not use the machine fearing the consequences.
The Prestige gives a tiny glimpse into the rivalry that still makes people think, it talks about the rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. Its well known now that most of Tesla’s world changing ideas were opposed by Edison for being different.
The movie is definitely a complex one and I have chosen to leave the ending out, giving away the final plot device would make no sense. The end makes you think not just about the story but about emotions and makes you question yourself. This is must watch watch movie for anyone interested in Science Fiction. If you are like one of fans hoping for a crossover between DC and Marvel this movie is the closest we could ever get, we have Hugh Jackman who played the iconic Wolverine, Christian Bale who stared as Batman in a trilogy directed by Nolan himself and Scarlett Johansson who plays Black Widow.
In Conclusion its an amazing movie and definitely worth a watch.
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