Okay, I know I’ve been slacking. To make up for it, I’ll try and do three movie reviews in a row. Actually, one of the reasons I am so behind is that I can’t make up my mind on The Prestige. There doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with the movie but I didn’t find myself enraptured with the film as much as I thought I would be. This film has everything going for it. Christopher Nolan is a brilliant director that gets the most out of his actors as well as the story. I must admit, however, is that I didn’t find the cinematography as beautiful as his previous efforts, like Insomnia or Memento. The story is carefully woven and keeps you guessing throughout the film. I had my suspicions midway through but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the storytelling. I love learning the secrets behind magic tricks; I don’t really care that ruins my enjoyment of the wonder of illusion. Of course the tricks shown in The Prestige would not make it onto the stage today, especially the disappearing bird act. While the story is interesting and nicely paced, it’s the superb acting that got my attention. Christian Bale is one of the best intense actors of this generation. It’s unfortunate that more people don’t know of his skill. He was fantastic in Batman Begins but he plays the villain even better. He had the perfect tone of smarm in the Samuel L Jackson remake of Shaft, but his crowning achievement comes in the form of Patrick Bateman in the dark but perversely entertaining American Psycho. If you can handle the disturbing sex and violence put to an eighties soundtrack, give American Psycho a try. Anyway, back to The Prestige, I think Christian Bale has another winning turn as a magician who has made the ultimate trick. But even with his superiority, he makes you sympathize with his plight.
I like to see Hugh Jackman fail. We’ve seen him as Wolverine and Van Helsing with his confident attitude, winning smile and sarcastic comebacks. In The Prestige, we see a more desperate side of Jackman that really shows off his acting ability. Rounding out the cast is the incomparable Michael Caine as another wise mentor with tricks up his sleeve, and Scarlett Johannson who always manages to bring the perfect mix of passion and grace.
So if it wasn’t the story or the acting, what is it that makes it hard for me to convince everyone to see this film? Maybe my expectations were way too high. Maybe it’s because I saw it on a Monday, which always feels kind of weird. Maybe it’s because I had already seen some of this magic done in The Illusionist. Maybe I’m just an idiot who’s over-analyzing again. It’s probably the latter. Go see The Prestige and judge for yourself. If anything you’ll get a greatly acted story, and what more do you really want from a film?
1 comment:
Well said. Bale is definitely incredible to watch, and whether villain or hero, has a believable darkness about him. Interesting comment about Jackman, I hand't thought of that but you're completely right. What is it with him and the whole SF/Fantasy thing?
When I first saw this movie I felt sort of the same way as you. Actually in the first twenty minutes I was half way to believing that I was bored. without being a spoiler to toher readers I can't tell you what it was that made me perk up but I did get hooked into wondering and pondering and then when I figured it out I saw how beautifully it had all fit together. I came to the conclusion that watching The Prestige is like watching a wonderful magic act. It starts out very everyday, nothing up my sleeve, just an ordinary box, and then there's a twist that makes you say "oh sure, I gotta see this" and then there's the magic which makes you go wow. This is the first movie I've seen in ages that actually made me think, made me wonder and guess. I was completely in that world. I intend to see it again.
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