The Prestige

Very good well done movie. Love the twists

The dynamic between Hugh Jackman’s Robert Angier and Christian Bale’s Alfred Borden in The Prestige is a captivating study of obsession and rivalry. Angier, portrayed by Jackman, stands out with his charismatic showmanship and deep-seated need for revenge and recognition. His journey from a grieving husband to a determined magician is both compelling and tragic, driven by the loss of his wife and the desire to surpass Borden. Angier's character is marked by his relentless pursuit of perfection, making sacrifices that reveal the depths of his ambition and dedication to his craft. While Borden, played by Bale, is more methodical and secretive, it's Angier's emotional and passionate quest that often captures the audience's sympathy. Jackman's portrayal brings a poignant depth to Angier, showcasing the vulnerability behind his vengeful facade. Their rivalry is intensely personal, with each man’s actions profoundly affecting the other’s life, but it's Angier's tragic path and ultimate sacrifices that leave a lasting impact, highlighting the cost of obsession and the dark side of ambition.

I heard of "The Prestige" when it came out on DVD, but I didn't know too much about it. Saw some commercials for it here and there, but I wasn't sure if it was something that I had to see right away. It wasn't until I went to a store and saw that this was directed by none other than the brilliant Christopher Nolan (who directed my all-time favorite movie, "Memento"). That's all it took for me to buy the DVD without even really knowing what the movie was about. I didn't care. It had Nolan's name on it, and that's all I needed. I watched it the next day and couldn't believe how great this movie was. Not only that, but I ended up watching it again only a few hours after my first viewing. Unfortunately, there are so many twists and turns in this wild ride that I'll have to be brief in describing what it's about so I don't end up giving away something crucial (yeah, it's one of those where you give away one little thing, and it could possibly ruin the movie for the other person). As simplistic as I can put it the film concerns two magicians, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden. The two were quite the team and worked together splendidly until one night one of their well known tricks goes wrong and ends up costing Angier a loved one. He blames Borden for his loss and becomes obsessed with finding any means to out-show him, learn his secrets and destroy him. I know, this sounds like a typical "thriller," but that's really only a small outline of the movie. I had to keep it short and simple to avoid giving away too much. "The Prestige" works more as a drama/thriller/mystery. The entire theme of the movie is to "watch closely," and there's reason for that. You're not entirely sure what is going on until the very end, and even then you feel like you have to watch it again right away to verify what you've just witnessed. Nolan's great at playing head-games with you, and it's nice to see him dive intos that area of film again. Even though you're always trying to piece together what's going on, none of that takes away the enjoyment of watching these characters and how they interact in the environment around them. The look and feel of the film is very dark, but it looks so gorgeous. The performances from Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale and Michael Caine are perfect. Bale never ceases to amaze me in the roles he takes, as he commits himself a hundred percent every time. David Bowie even makes a small appearance in the film, and trust me when I say this, you do not see him as David Bowie on the screen. You buy into his character completely. It must be said, even though this is a PG-13 movie, it gets pretty disturbing and the overall tone of the movie is dark and cold. I wouldn't recommend it for children. The DVD doesn't offer a whole lot of features, which is a shame because I have the suspicion that they will re-release it in a "fully-loaded" edition later on (which I will have to go and buy). "The Prestige" is a total success, and then some. It's one of those movies that you have to watch more than once, and each time you see it (just like with "Memento"), chances are you're going to pick up on something that you didn't see the first time around. If you're looking for something different and unique, I strongly suggest giving this a try. It ranks up there as one of my top favorites of 2006. Nice to see that Christopher Nolan has made another fantastic movie and has proven that he's not just a one-trick pony. The movie may have a lot of twists and turns to keep you interested, but they never take away from the great story and characters. Are you watching closely? -Michael Crane

The Prestige is an interesting film, buoyed more by the stars than the script. I really enjoyed it; have viewed it several times, but I come away from the movie feeling like I've experienced a slight of hand, just like the magic they perform. The wonderful, enduring Michael Caine - always a favourite who could lure me into watching him read a phone book -- gives a strong performance, as usual, as the magical engineer behind Hugh Jackman's Rufus Angier. Jackman's beautiful, wonderful, so the movie's success rest heavily on his performance, and he does well in the lead. Christian Bale as his rival is rather flat, but that could be the script more than his acting as Alfred Borden (but then, I always think this about his performances!). And the White Lord Ziggy, David Bowie, puts in a guest spot that is interesting, but again a bit of waste of his talent. Even a cameo from Daniel Davis. The movie centres around Jackman's Angier and Bale's Border. Angier is the master showman. He has the beauty and grace to set up a trick, which is more than half of it's success. Border is more the thinking man's magician. He can figure out his own tricks, but is lousy at presenting them, until rivalry pushes both men into obsession. They were once friends, but after the death of Jackman's wife in the water tank trick, they became enemies, each trying to out do the other, and taking it way past a rivalry, unto nothing else really matters to them. They lose friends, lovers, and ultimately rush to destruction - of themselves and each other. Very interesting film, one worth watching again. But I still fill like the whole film is one big trick, just like the magic they perform. Misdirection - great cast, beautifully filmed, but covering up what they don't want you too see, that it's a bit more flash than substance.

Regalato per un amico appassionato, apprezzato.

100 % OK Goede verzending van besteld item beantwoorde volledig aan de beschrijving van de verkoper ( uiterst tevreden ) :-):-):-)

Le Prestige (The Prestige) est un super thriller de Nolan, très bien joué et avec un twist mémorable. À noter pour l’édition : bien que ce ne soit pas indiqué derrière la pochette, la piste audio française est (Doublé au Québec). Je recommande.

Dieser bestechende, faszinierende Thriller aus dem Jahr 2006 ist für mich Magie in ihrer reinsten Form. Christopher Nolan schuf ein wunderbares und ebenfalls nur als magisch zu bezeichnendes Meisterwerk in diesem Genre, das auf dem Roman „Das Kabinett des Magiers“ (1995) von Christopher Priest basiert. Er täuscht den Zuschauer, verzaubert ihn, führt ihn an der Nase herum, gaukelt ihm vor und fesselt ihn 130 Minuten mit unsichtbaren Ketten an den Sessel. Dazu kommen zahlreiche Parallelen und Anspielungen, von denen viele erst nach eingehender Filmrecherche zu Tage treten, manche werden vielleicht immer sein Geheimnis bleiben. Gegen Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts beschäftigt der Illusionist und Erfinder Cutter (Michael Caine) in London zwei junge Magiere: Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) und Alfred Borden (Christian Bale). Robert stammt aus der englischen Aristokratie und versteht sich besser als Alfred darauf, das Publikum zu unterhalten. Alfred ist dagegen der innovativere Zauberkünstler. Bei einem gefährlichen Trick wird Roberts Ehefrau Julia (Piper Parabo) an Händen und Füßen gefesselt in einen mit Wasser gefüllten Glaskasten getaucht. Während dieser mit Tüchern verhängt ist, befreit sie sich. Eines Abends gelingt es Julia nicht, und sie ertrinkt. Weil Alfred bei der Fesselung einen neuen Knoten ausprobieren wollte, gibt Robert ihm die Schuld am Tod seiner Frau. Die beiden Männer werden zu Todfeinden und versuchen sich gegenseitig zu zerstören.... Nolan treibt seine Spielchen mit unserer Wahrnehmung mit meisterlicher Präzision. Immer wieder wechselt die dreifach gestaffelte Zeitebene, um dem Zuschauer ein Bröckchen aufschnappen zu lassen. Im Verlauf etlicher Szenen muss man sich zurechtfinden, das Thema erfassen. Wenn einem das gelungen ist, kommt der Effekt und man befindet sich wieder in der Illusion, die einem vorgaukelt, wieder ein bisschen mehr zu wissen, endlich dem Trick hinter alledem näher zu kommen. Aber nicht nur in der Zauberkunst macht man sich die Eigenschaft des Menschen zunutze, die Wahrheit eigentlich gar nicht sehen zu wollen bzw. sich allzu gerne und leicht auf eine falsche Fährte locken zu lassen. Abracadabra! Man kann sich den Film noch so oft ansehen, alle Tricks Nolans wird man wohl nicht ergründen können. Für mich ist dieser Film nach „Memento“ sein vielseitigster, vielleicht sogar bester Film. Er weitet die spannende Geschichte dieser zwei Magier auf sogar auf viele andere Bereiche der menschlichen „Kulturgeschichte" aus, deren große Persönlichkeiten wohl auch immer ein wenig Grenzgänger zwischen Genie und Wahnsinn waren. Ein fantastischer Zaubertrick, den man sich ruhig öfter mal vorführen lassen sollte. Allerdings ist „Prestige“ für mich ein Lieblingsfilm des Verstandes, denn der Magier Nolan kann fast alles, nur eines kann er (noch) nicht: Herzen bewegen! Damit kann die wirklich grossartige Schauspielerschar selbst mit Rebecca Hall und Scarlett Johansson nicht aufwarten. Am Ende wurde ich dann noch einmal überrascht. Als ich Nicola Tesla das erste Mal sah, kam mir etwas komisch vor und ich dachte, das könnte doch David Bowie sein. Da ich aber viel zu konzentriert der Handlung folgte, verwarf ich den Gedanken wieder, um im Abspann dann wirklich seinen Namen zu entdecken. Die wirklich sensationelle Maske Bowies war für mich der letzte Zaubertrick Nolans mit meiner persönlichen Wahrnehmung, zumindest in diesem Film. Sehr, sehr sehenswert !

The Prestige non è solo un film sulla magia, è un film sulla natura del sacrificio. È una pellicola che va vista almeno due volte: la prima per farsi stupire, la seconda per accorgersi che tutti gli indizi erano sempre stati sotto i nostri occhi.