The Prestige

"Are you watching closely?"... if your answer to Christian Bale's opening line isn't a resounding "yes" then you are in trouble. Director Christopher Nolan has crafted a cinematic slight of hand worthy of a great magician, and it demands that you pay very close attention.

Set in late Victorian England, The Prestige is a tale of two up and coming stage magicians. Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) is the stylish showman, whilst Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) the working class man dedicated to his craft. Beginning their careers together -as assistants for an aging performer- a tragic accident during an act gives rise to a irrecoverable rift between the two; in turn leading to a bitter, long stretching rivalry.

Told through a complex narrative structure layering flashback within flashback, each switching the point of view between the two magicians, the opening twenty minutes are balanced precariously between compellingly convoluted and "what the fuck is going on?". Once the elaborate framing is in place though, the mystery of the story will have you firmly ensnared. Sadly this makes it all the more difficult to talk about the story; how much to give away? what details can safely be revealed? In truth the answer to both those questions should probably be "none" (but that would make for a pretty short and useless review).

When Borden performs the ultimate magic trick, Angier becomes obsessed with discovering the secret of how it is done. Enlisting the help of his stage engineer Cutter (another excellent performance from Michael Cane), they devise their own version of the trick for the finale of Angier's show. Despite the rapturous reception of the performance this isn't enough for Angier, and his obsession with how Borden does the trick becomes all consuming. The repercussions of this mark a turning point in film's mood, mystery and intrigue giving way to something dark, sinister, and unsettling.

Watching closely will reap rewards elsewhere. This is a lavishly shot piece, rich in period detail. Performances from everybody (including David Bowie as the odd Nikolas Tesla) further enhance the illusion of the Victorian era. This is a very character driven movie, preferring to progress plot through dialogue rather than flashy set pieces. That's not to say the movie is light on visual spectacle, far from it, as impressive stage shows complete with their Gothic like apparatus depict the magicians in the arena they live for. It is also a movie littered with visual symbolism and foreshadowing, a detail certain to repay repeat viewings.

Twisting and turning it's way to the big reveal, Nolan boldly dispenses with the notion of "good guy" against "bad guy". Falling deeper into the moral vacuum of their obsession fulled rivalry, neither Angier or Borden holds the moral high ground. With each twist of trickery your loyalties will shift between the two characters to the point where it can be difficult to sympathise with either of them. It's this that will prove to be the sticking point for many people, more so than the convoluted narrative or drawn out revelations. Whatever your feelings toward the characters and what they have become, the masterful storytelling and brilliant performances will draw you willingly to the end. To say any more than that would spoil the surprise.

An expertly crafted piece of storytelling, The Prestige is an intriguing and chillingly dark exploration of single minded obsession, revenge, and sacrifice to an art. One that will stick splinter like in your thoughts long after the final curtain.