Warning: This article may contain mild spoilers.
Ten years ago, when I was in college, I was looking for something to do to occupy my empty Saturday night. A movie had been released, and the trailer looked very intriguing. Not only that, but it was from a director I liked: Christopher Nolan. The film starred Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as rival magicians in early 20th century London. I remember thinking, “who wouldn't want to see Wolverine and Batman trying to 'out-magic' each other?” As it turned out, the film was so much more than that. By the time the credits rolled, my brain didn't know what hit it. I had just been witness to a film that was a magic trick in itself. What I had seen was pure cinematic art at its most beautiful and intelligent peak. It was with this 2006 movie that Christopher Nolan went from being in my mind just a likable director to being probably the most talented director of the age, perhaps a modern-day Hitchcock.
What makes “The Prestige” so great? A lot.
The Cast
Hugh Jackman plays Robert Angier who goes by the stage name of The Great Danton. I have to say that this is the best role I've ever seen Jackman in. Instead of the usual two-dimensional character, he here portrays the most complex man in the film. Angier loses his wife in a magic trick gone wrong, blaming his associate and fellow magician Alfred Borden for not taking the proper precautions. After losing his wife, Angier spends every moment after that becoming the best magician and showman London has ever seen, taking on the moniker that his wife thought would suit him...The Great Danton. And sure enough, he becomes the most popular magician/showman in London. However, filled with anger and spite, he blames Borden for his wife's death and becomes obsessed with learning the secrets to Borden's magic tricks. Borden is a better magician than Angier, but not nearly as good when it comes to showmanship. The two become rivals, constantly trying to out-do the other, sometimes with near-fatal consequences. Jackman's performance is superb as we see a regular, happy guy who does magic with his wife become an embittered recluse who succumbs to his dangerous obsession. It's all the more heart-breaking to see Angier succumb to his obsession because you see how much his wife's death has affected him. It's saddening when his obsession grows so much that it eclipses the memory of his wife, driving him to just keep going after Borden.
Christian Bale portrays Angier's rival Alfred Borden, professionally known as The Professor. Bale is perfectly cast in this role of a man whose entire life centers around his profession: magic. Unlike Angier whose obsession is becoming better than his rival, Borden's obsession is to really understand magic, and make an impact on people with his tricks. Borden wants glory and a legacy that will be remembered and talked about for all time. Bale portrays this aspect of the character wonderfully as he shows the painful sacrifices Borden makes in order to perfect his act.
Michael Caine, a regular in Christopher Nolan's films, portrays John Cutter. Cutter works as an Ingenieur, a stage engineer who designs the apparatus used in Angier's acts. One thing I really like about Michael Caine in this role is that instead of the usual high-class British guy, he believably portrays a working class man who's been around the block. Cutter is the moral center of the film. He knows the rivalry and the obsession between the two main characters are only going to end badly, but no one listens to him. Through Cutter, the viewer can really gain an appreciation for the art of magic while also seeing both of the main characters from an empathetic point of view.
Terrific performances are also given by Rebecca Hall, who plays Borden's tragic figure of a wife, and David Bowie, who plays the eccentric scientist Nikola Tesla.
The Themes
Obsession plays a huge part in this film, particularly in the character of Angier. We see that the more he sinks into his obsession with Borden, the more he loses. He loses his money, his friendships and ultimately his humanity. He sinks so low that by the end of the film all one can really feel for him is pity.
Secrecy is a large theme which we see in the character of Borden. Borden was dangerously secretive concerning his work. When a little boy asks him how he made a coin disappear and reappear, Borden replies, “Never show anyone. They'll beg you and they'll flatter you for the secret, but as soon as you give it up you'll be nothing to them.” This seems to be the philosophy he lives by, refusing even to divulge his secrets to his wife who feels she will never be as important or as loved to him as magic.
It's interesting to me that neither of the main characters is advertised to us as being good or evil. They are merely men who make choices if that makes sense. I think this really grounds the film into reality. While I love movies like Captain America and Batman which have definitive good and evil characters, “The Prestige” shows us that we are all human beings who make decisions, and have to live with the consequences of those decisions. One could go into this movie and root for either Angier or Borden as they both walk pretty much the same path. This makes us analyze the things in our lives that we deem important. How important is family? How important is conscience, sticking to your ethics? How important are your dreams? How important is revenge?
Lasting Legacy
“The Prestige” is one of those films that draws you in for the entirety of its runtime, then spits you out wondering (in a good way) what in the world happened. It's one of those movies that demands multiple viewings, and it's a treat to oblige. As I said earlier, this film about magic tricks is itself a magic trick that will leave you wondering how something so spectacular was achieved. As Borden states throughout the film, “Are you watching closely?”
I have no doubt whatsoever that this film will go down in the annals of cinema as being one of the cleverest, most well-made films this world has ever seen. I said this earlier, but to me, Christopher Nolan is this generation's Alfred Hitchcock. Nolan has his own particular style, and it is clearly laid out in “The Prestige.” He makes the source material his own and knows how to keep his audience in suspense. You will not soon forget “The Prestige.”
