Genres

Visitors Review

mking147 2013-05-24 11:23:00

AWESOME - should be higher than 8.4

as i said this film is truly awesome, a piece of modern film 'magic'again by chris nolan. i wont go into all the twists and turns andchange in eras as other comments have, but will just say the filmleaves you feeling more entertained than many blockbuster films thatrely on cgi have ever done, and also duped by all the subtle hints thatare dropped throughout the film that we don't notice. I have justfinished watching the movie for what must be 10-15th time, and stillfind these bits funny when i see them as some are so obvious,but at thesame time woven into the story beautifully, and i am still also findingparts that open up more discussion!! One of the greatest films evercrafted, just as good as batman begins and the dark knight!!

teddy_rockefeller 2013-05-23 21:39:46

the REAL prestige

The Prestige, a movie that will bend your mind. The prestige, a moviethat will bend your back as you desperately try to see the hidden cluesthat you may have missed earlier on. here's my opinion on the movie.lets start with Huge Jackman. the name says it all. Jackman beingAustralian slang for bender of minds and back and basically thats whathe does in this movie. he is great and really presents a perfectlayered performance. you never really understand what he's saying butyou get the feeling that he knows what he's doing. it always helps tohave the ability to act through understanding and huge has got this.Scarllett Johansun, a great actor, was brilliant in mean girls andcertainly has the ability to act and bend minds, but let's just saythat the word fugal come to mind when talking about her performance.she knows it and it shows. George Lucas once said that if an actordoesn't want to be in a movie and doesn't believe the magic that theyare presenting then it will show on film. George was right. Scarllettdoesn't believe in magic and its clear. she never says anythingsupportive of Huge Jackman or Christin Bale because she obviouslydoesn't believe in magic. she needs to let herself go more and be freeand stop holding onto prejudices of black people and magicians.everyone else in the movie was fine, great even. watch out for the starcameo role (you'll know it when you see it). let's just say that thebutler from the nanny named Fran would approve. Anyway, ce'lar vee, agreat movie but don't see it coz u probably wont get it at all. PS Hugedefinitely has a notable bulge in his pants in the opening scene. ithink it could help for any Oscar nods. i would give it 8 but thatbulge is worth at least a 10 by itself.

TheLastStop41 2013-05-21 04:29:49

Nolan does it again

There's not much that can be said about The Prestige that has notalready been said in its positive reviews. Christopher Nolan makes yetanother remarkable achievement after the groundbreaking Memento and theextraordinary Batman Begins. Once again, Nolan does not for a momentprioritize the "Ooohs!" and "Ahhhs!" before strong characterdevelopment and plot. By the end, Nolan can use these powerfulcinematic tools to create those audience reactions instead offantastical elements. Nolan is not the only one, however, that makesthis movie work as a whole. With his brother, Jonathan Nolan, at thehands of the screenplay, and Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as theleads, people reading this review are only getting the tip of theiceberg with understanding the quality of this movie. You will have tosee this movie for yourself.For those who were disappointed by this year's earlier entry in the"Magician Genre", The Illusionist, then The Prestige is the movie foryou. On terms of quality, the two movies are just about polaropposites. While Edward Norton portrays the most wooden performanceI've ever seen from him, Christian Bale shines once more. While Nortonand Biel couldn't develop chemistry to save their life, the chemistryis magic between Jackman and Johansson and Bale and Rebecca Hall. WhileGiamatti and some of the cinematography play as the saving grace of theotherwise disastrous Illusionist, there is really only the overlongending as a weak spot for The Prestige.I would be really ashamed if Bale does not get some Oscar considerationfor this year's upcoming awards season. There is not a scene he doesn'tshine in, and time and time again, he proves to be one of the bestyoung actors in Hollywood. It is still a toss up for me on which filmis the best of the year. It's either this or The Departed, but youcannot go wrong with either. In the scheme of things, despite the minorflaw at the end, this movie gets a perfect 10, and I now await The DarkKnight even more eagerly. Summer 2008 cannot come soon enough. It takesthree great movies for me to label a director a genius. Mr. Nolan, youhave a fan.

pbtran 2013-05-20 18:47:49

The Prestige is Simply Magical!!!

This is probably one of the best movies I have ever watched with agreat cast, awesome plot, and spectacular production set. Both HughJackman and Christian Bale are superb in their respective roles asrival magicians in Victorian-era London. I actually had to watch ittwice on certain mysterious scenes in order to get the surprise ending.The best part is that there is a sub-plot regarding Nikolos Telsa, the"Father of Electromagnetism and electrical AC current", and ThomasEdison on who is the best inventor in the field of electromagnetism.The sub-plot will give the basis on the competition between Jackman andBale's characters in this movie. I would look for various cluesthroughout the movie in order to understand the finale.

Kakashi Hatake 2013-05-17 13:57:00

Greatest Twisting Movie since Fight Club!!!

It's been a long time since a movie has captured my interest the waythat The Prestige does. The prestige is a movie that intelligentlymotivates the viewers to keep guessing a simple and yet complicatedanswer. Like ALL of the most "INCREDIBLE" magic tricks ever to beperformed there is somewhat of a disappointing secret, but nonethelessif you can keep the audience from ever discovering this secret, they'llnever be disappointed. A lot of reviewers will say, the tricks weren'tthat impressive as if the answer was so obvious but I can bet thatuntil things were made REAL clear those review critics would have neverguessed it either. There was no real spoiler in this comment, but ifyou go and watch the movie after reading what I said about there beinga very simple answer to the ultimate trick, you should be able tofigure it out even though you might doubt yourself at the beginning.Still, you WON'T be DISAPPOINTED!!

mike. g3 2013-05-17 06:58:06

Real Magic...

The Prestige is one of the best films I've ever seen. It is totallyunique, keeps you gripped throughout and the plot is so clever andoriginal. You don't see many films about magicians, maybe thats why Ifound this to be so interesting, and I doubt we'll ever see a betterone. The film is not really about magic though. It is about obsession.It is about deception. By the end, Robert Angier (Jackman) is amagician for totally different reasons than when he started, and Ithink this quote shows his obsession not just to be a better magicianthan Borden (Bale), but to make Borden crash and burn. "I need to know his secret." "Why?" "So I can do it better."By the end, it is difficult to tell who you are supposed to be rootingfor, because both main characters aren't exactly good guys, and I thinkthis makes the film very unique. It is not about good triumphing overevil, rather it is about how you can get so caught up in one thing thatit rules the rest of your life, and the dangers of becoming obsessed.The acting in the film is superb. If you went to see a professionalmagician, you'd see the showmanship and antics that Christian Bale andHugh Jackman perform in The Prestige. The special effects arefantastic, as are the illusions that are performed. Michael Caine is,as always, brilliant. He is still proving to be one of the bestsupporting actors in the business. Scarlett Johansson is alsoexcellent.Christopher Nolan's direction is, obviously, brilliant. This is afantasy film, and he has still made it look completely real. I alsothink his screenplay for all of his films, especially this one, is thebest by anybody. Never does he just put things in front of you towatch. The non-chronological order he uses means that as you go along,any questions you may have are answered along the way, and this makesfor a wonderful cinematic experience. I think this sets his films apartfrom other directors'. In summary, I think it's safe to say thatChristopher Nolan is the real magician here.

2013-05-17 19:16:40

kept me wondering

it was nice how they kept the theme down to illusions until the somewhat surprising real magic twist that really made this movie stand out for me. i was happy to see that they could not only separate the elements, but combine them as well. i won't mention what that magic twist was, but it was a great combination of the real and fake magic that really made it work for me. it seemed a little bogged down at moments, but those were necessary to derive all the necessary explanations needed to keep this movie believable and realistic, so i can't detract value from that because overall the entire movie was a success. they had a way of explaining things that didn't seem to go way over my head, and i appreciated that.magicians who basically perform all the way throughout their lives. that element right there is a nice thought. people so determined to trick others that they would adjust every moment of their lives to make their acts on stage seem overwhelmingly believable. it sounds like the CIA or some other government agency. even down to the old man with the fish bowl who adjusted even the way he walked just so he could always perform that trick without anyone noticing otherwise. above all, i liked the sci-fi twist that actually seemed realistic by the way it was created. if you are at all into magic, you will probably enjoy this. i liked this better then the illusionist, and i loved that movie.

2013-05-17 10:27:51

Pledge, Turn, PRESTIGE !

With Christopher Nolan directing, the acting skills of Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Hugh Jackman, David Bowie (yes, the singer), and the lovely Scarlett Johansson, you can't go wrong. Even Gollum (Andy Serkis) himself shows up. Not to mention the outstanding sets, costumes, plot, and dialogue throughout the picture. While I did like The Illusionist, The Prestige has it beat in every category but the musical score. The whole theater I saw it with seemed very happy when the movie was over. They didn't stop saying "WOW" every couple of minutes towards the end of the film. The twists keep coming. If you haven't seen this film yet, get going as soon as you finish this sentence.

Pocock 2013-05-14 17:08:51

Ludicrous

Memento was much worse than this, but The Prestige is empty andnonsensical in equal measure. At what point did the two brothersdecide, 'Crikey, we ought to give up this brothers lark and hideourselves from the world so we can pull off the Transported Man trick'?When they were still kids? And who thought it was a good idea to castDavid Bowie as the Serbian lord of alternating current? If you likemovies with two preposterous twists -- it's not just the twin brotherswho are so dedicated to their art that they'd chop off their fingersand sleep with each other's girlfriends, but A MACHINE THAT ACTUALLYTELEPORTS PEOPLE ACROSS VARYING BUT QUITE SHORT DISTANCES!! -- thenthis is definitely for you.One thing I've learned is that, if ever you chance upon the diary orjournal of your nemesis, make sure you read from the back to the front.You have been warned!

carronuk 2013-05-14 08:13:50

Riveting

I actually saw Prestige by accident; although I had heard good reviewsthere were other films that I preferred to see. As it happens the nightI was at the cinema the film I had wanted to see was sold out and Idecided to see Prestige instead. I can only say it was a superb film(even better then the film I had originally wanted to see).I thought both Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale portrayed theircharacters in a really realistic way, and it was difficult to decidewhich one you would support, as like real life, the moment you thoughtone was better then the other, they went and did something that totallyspoilt your choice and you were back to square one.It was a slower moving film, but it was handled brilliantly, and thetwists were simple but effective.Quite simply it was the best film I had seen of 2006.

Ben Hodges 2013-05-14 05:01:55

The Prestige deserves many prestigious awards.

I was amazed by this movie. Everything is done beautifully from theacting to the set to the costumes. You certainly feel like you'reimmersed in the story and you've gone back in time to the height ofmagic. I was a bit surprised by some of the secrets. I won't giveanything away, but I'm good at guessing films and this one I only gotabout 50% correct, which is really low for me. Even if you arecompletely paying attention, it's sometimes difficult to keep up. Ialmost wanted to start taking notes in order to figure out what wasgoing on. Every actor is amazing, and the plot twists will keep you onthe edge of your seat. I was a bit surprised by the addition of ascience fiction element, but it didn't detract from the story in theleast. This is a wonderful film, and you'll certainly want to payattention when the Professor asks "Are you watching closely?"

board-5 2013-05-13 14:26:40

Fails in lot of levels.

Spoiler alert!Christoper Nolan did not know this,or did not wanted totell himself:supernatural elements just changing the situation,atall.But if I'am wrong when this is my opinion,why was that twist tooimportant at the end.And that was not a serious twist.Acting:good,theactors are not guilty,they just wanted to earn money,as usually we knowfemales get some sentences,in the old role,OK what could women do inEngland in that age.The message is acceptable,but this film was notfull of joy,I don't know how the novel did,and what Christoper Nolanand he's brother changed while they wrote the screenplay,but this filmis NOT A GOOD FILM.This screenplay is not a good screenplay.3/10

2013-05-12 06:35:28

One of my top 5 movies of the year

A rare case of a movie improving on an already good book. The Nolan brothers' unique take on Christopher Guest's premise was just what it needed to really blossom. They found connections and plot points overlooked by the author. In their hands the story unfolds with a thematic logic reminiscent of a classical composition. To what lengths will a dedicated artist go in pursuit of their art? The Nolans' love foreshadowing, reference and metaphor. Many details accumulate meaning as the movie unfolds. A simple trick involving a canary; an elderly magician's ability to produce a goldfish bowl from seemingly nowhere; a curious exchange between lovers. The end is chilling (although in all fairness it is not hard to see it coming). After a first viewing we decided to watch it again with English subtitles turned on, and I would highly recommend watching it this way. A third viewing revealed even more of the subtle, nice touches that forward and support the main premise.The feud at the heart of the movie is not a battle between a good character and a bad one. I found that refreshing. The viewer is not pressured into taking sides. This is one of my top 5 movies of the year.

2013-05-11 14:31:06

Are you watching closely? Ta-da!

Although this film is a bit long for its subject matter, it is awe inspiring and nothing more than brilliant. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale carry this film perfectly as rivaling magicians seeking revenge upon one another. You couldn't demand a better cast. And who doesn't like Michael Caine in anything? There's no way this film was going to fail with these 3 leads. David Bowie is also surprisingly good in his role as Telsa.It's been years since I've seen THAT kind of film that keeps you totally guessing till the end. I don't even know what I would compare The Prestige to, but think about how you felt at the end of The Sixth Sense when the truth was revealed, or when you found out the cop was the bad guy in Ransom. THIS movie is exactly like that, but only better. The characters do a good job of showing you something else to make you forget what you are supposed to be looking out for. Then the truth, or reveal, smacks you hard in the face. It gives you that "A-ha!" feeling that you would indeed feel when being fooled by a real magician. Some of the tricks' secrets are revealed which will have you saying, "I always wondered how they did that!"The color and tone of this film definitely makes it a period piece so if you enjoy those type films, you will love this one. Like I said, it can be a bit slow in places but those moments did seem important to the film overall and didn't bore me. Definitely a film that keeps you guessing till the end. All three elements of magic, including an amazing prestige, are here for your enjoyment!Watch closely!

2013-05-11 01:44:26

Every magic trick consists of three acts...

The word prestige is most commonly understood as; esteem or importance of an individual who is highly regarded by others. The word is taken from the Latin word præstigum; trick or illusion. People who saw Memento will enjoy Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige." He brings to the audience a new and unfamiliar meaning to this word, as he illustrates this through his mastery of storytelling.Story:It is the story of two rival magicians in London near the end of the 1800's. When a magic performance turns tragic both men will go to the extreme of undermining each other to become the best magician. When Alfred Borden invents the trick "The Transporter Man," Rupert Angier, becomes obsessed with learning his secret to his Illusion. When Angier meets the scientist Nikola Tesla, he will fine the answer through the device that Tesla makes for him. Will his obsession for Borden come to an end?Review:Every magic trick consists of three acts; the first act is called the pledge, the second act is called the turn and third act is called the prestige. This is where the audience is presented with something shocking and new in which the audience has never seen before. Christopher Nolan is an exceptional director, who gives the audience his fourth movie entitled "The Prestige." Nolan's style of directing and writing is much like the movie "The Illusionist" who keeps the audience guessing until the end. His direction is fast paced, but is explained through the series of events that are unfolded throughout the plot. But instead of focusing on magic he wants the audience to concentrate on the obsession that both Magicians (Jackmen and Bale) have for each other. This is done quite effectively through the acting of Bale and Jackman. They completely become immersed in their passion that they have for their magic. Jackman illustrates his obsession through his showmanship and Bale through mastering his skills of magic. The supporting cast led by the veteran screen actor Michael Caine (Cutter the creator of the illusions), Scarlett Johansson (Olivia Wenscombe assistant to Angier) and even David Bowie (Tesla who plays an inventor similar to Thomas Edison) do a very good job at supporting the obsession between the two magicians.The editing was flawless to the point where the flashbacks give the presence of time standing still. There is no choppiness, no hesitation as each scene is played out through the movie. The Verdict:This is very good film that deals with magic and showmanship but finds an underlining theme to the movie such as obsession. If your fan of Christopher Nolan and like solving puzzle based movies then you will definitely appreciate "The Prestige" in which I highly recommend.

Sherazade 2013-05-10 11:33:44

This one frustrated me

one of my sister's actually said that it was probably because I loveHugh Jackman so much that I couldn't bear to see him in such anobsessive state but I beg to differ. It was well shot, very imaginativeand the actors were at the top of their game, I just really didn't likethis film. The Prestige and The Illusionist both arrived at the box-office withinmonths or maybe even weeks apart from one another and sort of K-Oedeach other with their similar look and plot lines. I went to see ThePrestige, thinking it would be the better movie because it seemed tohave the better cast but I can confirm now that this was not the case.The tale within The Prestige dealt more with obsession, revenge and thedarker side of the art of magic whereas The Illusionist dealt withromance, illusions and perhaps sweet revenge or shall I say karma.Anyways, since I'm reviewing The Prestige let me keep it at that. Thefilm revolves around two rivaling magicians: Robert Angier (played byHugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (played by Christian Bale). Upon thesuspiciously accidental death Angier's wife Julia (played oddly byPiper Perabo) the tension between the two magicians not onlyintensifies (seeing how Borden was supposedly the one who tied the knotto the rope that killed Julia) it becomes a flat out tug-of-war. WithAngier trying to find answers as to why his wife was killed and withBorden trying to avoid being murdered by his rival. Scarlett Johansson's Olivia shows up later to play the mediator betweenthe two men but to no apparent avail. With either of the other tryingto outdo the other with the latest magic tricks, the competitioneventually turns into a fatally dangerous obsession. Michael Caine &David Bowie co-star.

2013-05-06 15:27:15

so magical!

The Prestige is both brilliant and entertaining. Thanks to a clever screenplay and a beautiful photography, Christopher Nolan creates a bewitching atmosphere, and directs a compelling movie with a great ending. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, perfect in their roles, are just mesmeric. A must-have movie in your DVD collection.

Ahmet Ay 2013-05-06 05:50:34

Very bad and boring...

This movie was bad, really bad. It is longer than it should have been.It has no twists and no interesting story.At first I thought it would have been a cool movie where I enjoy thebattle of wits between two magician. But this movie has none of that.It is just so predictable.The other problem I had with this movie is that it has no lovablecharacter. Everyone is just an asshole and I don't feel like supportingany of these guys.And when you sit down and think about it, what the hell is the point ofwasting your life for a stupid magic show. These character motivationsmake no sense, in fact the characters themselves make no sense at all.They are like robots.Bottomline, the movie is bad.

l_JohnOwens_l 2013-05-06 14:48:07

To Live the Third Act

"The Prestige" will keep you guessing what's coming next. It's one ofthose movies you just want to know the answer straight away but stillbeg for more clues. It's exciting, twisted, smart and well written. Seeit.In the world of illusion, Borden and Angier will become enemies afterone of their tricks goes incredibly wrong. Their rivalry will go pastany limit, reaching further to accomplish the best trick and reveal allof their enemy's secret. Thanks to Christian Bale, and Hugh Jackman, the basic duel that isdrawn throughout the film is stunningly acted and enigmatic, withclassy gestures and smooth performance of dialogs. Christopher Nolanrevives the era with delicious decorations and use of dampened tones,which gives the film an intense and pushy aura. The rivals areprimarily interested in the "living" on the act, where the best trickis to deceive the audience into inflicting doubts to them and carryingthem away from the truth.Michael's Caine character (who does a great role also) states that themagic is formed by three parts: the turn, which presents ordinarythings to attract the audience, the pledge to transform this intosomething extraordinary and the prestige; the most important act, toblow them away.It's end is clever and has many levels to understand it. It will allfall as a puzzle. The film, as it should, shields a fantastic Prestige.A turn of the table that will leave you gasping and clapping.Watch it, it's a nice puzzle to watch being solved. Just let the magicflow.

2013-05-06 00:03:47

The Magic is in the mystery.

This review is from: The Prestige (DVD) The magic of this movie is its blend of the fantasy and that of the Stage Magician. I choose my movies not by the stars, at least usually, but by what they seem to be, good movies. So I will jump genras and that makes it hard to find a specific line for me to follow. I had seen "The Illusionist" and thought perhaps this was like that movie. Though not entirely disappointed it was still a wonderful fantasy drama. The Stage Magicians world is one of illusions and sometimes you really wonder 'how did he do that', which is what the Magician wants you to wonder. Wonderment is his stock and trade. "The Prestige" was such an act but unlike "The Illusionist" it took a fantasy turn at the end, like something out of H. G. Wells, where fantastic things happen out of science but they have unexpected results. Though I liked this movie, I was hoping that it was something like the other. I did enjoy the mystery of the plot.I thought the acting was believable. Bale and Jakeman were very good as the rivals, both bent on ruining each other for the purpose of vengence but the fantasy ending was unexpected. But then that was true until I remembered that the time setting, and therefore was in perfect harmony of the turn of the century of 1900 era, when technology, as represented by Tesla was new and very mysterious.