The Prestige (PG-13) :
The Prestige is the third of this year's releases centering around magicians (following Scoop and The Illusionist), and it's by far the best of the lot.
The Prestige casts Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier and Christian Bale as Alfred Borden, two aspiring magicians. They work with the master showman Cutter (Michael Caine). Robert’s assistant-cum-lover is played by Scarlet Johansson as Olivia. All the actors give flawless performances.
The Prestige is the story of a rivalry between the two magicians, Angier and Borden, which soon turns into an obsession. A tragedy that occurs during one of Cutter's stage shows closes down the act, and sends both men off in separate directions. However, both of them are filled with hatred for each other. Cutter chooses to remain with Angier. But Angier and Borden remain obsessed with each other's activities, even going so far as to sabotage each other. After Borden adds a new item called "The Transported Man" to his show, Angier creates his own. But he is not satisfied until he figures out exactly how Borden performs the feat. So he sends Olivia over to Borden’s camp, in order to figure out the secret.
The Prestige is a movie with a lot of twists and turns. It is an example of exemplary film-making, from production design to the script. The cinematography and sound is also quite stunning. The plot is somewhat complicated, but fun to watch. The ‘reveal’ towards the end is quite a surprise. You will find yourself totally engrossed by this gripping story.
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