The Prestige is the term used for the third act of any magic trick, with the first and second acts being the Pledge and the Turn.
. The choice of this cast set many tongues wagging as to whether it will be able to live up to the hype of Nolan's long awaited movie that is directly challenging the other motion picture about Victorian magicians:
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This movie definitely lives up to its name. It plays out like a huge magic trick, with the audience waiting to see how it unfolds. You're getting the suspicion on how the magic's done, but yet you're sitting through it thoroughly engaged to discover how everything will be revealed and resolved. The Pledge tells the story of how two magicians who were fellow apprentices eventually turned into unfortunate rivals. They plod down the path of jealous obsession, revenge, and numerous attempts to go at great lengths to steal eachother's ideas.
Much of the film is very realistic. It's an easy step to accept that such unwavering determination spills over into deadly territory, as rival magicians suave Rupert Angier (Jackman) and audacious Alfred Borden (Bale). Each continuely seek to wreak revenge upon the other.
The story, though adapted from a novel, feels like a perfect fit for Nolan's directing sensibilities. The machinations of the two men become increasingly convoluted during a back-and-forth tug of wits that keep you guessing in the style of Nolan's "Memento." As the game becomes deadly and threatens to consume all they ever loved, the film becomes a fascinating study in single-mindedness.
The Pledge is beautifully filmed and strongly acted. The only odd note in casting is
David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. Solid performances are all around, with Michael Caine adding dignity and depth as the old master, Scarlett Johansson as the lovely stage assistant who becomes the third point in a twisted love triangle, and even
Andy Serkis in a memorable supporting role.
At the end of the movie, one quote popped into mind: "Misdirection - what the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes." Quite apt to describe how things work out during the movie, or to describe Nolan's films in general.
This is a truly entertaining movie. It takes you on an original and unusual dark ride worth seeing in a theatre for its grand scope and vision.
I've finally managed to start posting again, yay. I still have 11 posts in my draft folder, so you will see more stuff appearing here the next couple of days.
