Movie Review: THE PRESTIGE
by Abi Aquino
Two hunks and a handful of chains…sounds like a woman’s dream come true. In The Prestige, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play two aspiring illusionists whose friendly competition becomes deadly when a tragic accident transforms them into bitter rivals. Who cares about the death count? Just give me another scene with a naked Hugh Jackman in it.
Set at the turn of the 19th century, the magic employed by these two illusionists consists of mechanisms, trapdoors, and other simple, cruel devices disguised under crisp white sleeves and the quick fluttering of hands. As their competition becomes deadlier with every trick, the stakes become higher.
Now I’ve been having trouble watching movies lately, owing to the fact that I’ve been working a lot. Ask my friends, ask anyone. No matter how good the movie is, I always manage to fall asleep for a good ten minutes. While watching V for Vendetta, I closed my eyes while a masked Hugo Weaving was murmuring sweet revolutionary nothings to a bald Natalie Portman. When I pried my eyes open, V was gone and the whole sky of London was ablaze with fireworks, and the credits started to roll.
My point being: The Prestige does away with the conventional flashback devices and jumps straight into the cold pool of several memories, which cleverly interlock with each other until they lead to the present time. Director Christopher Nolan, known for his extraordinary work in Memento, offers elegant, keep-up-or-watch-a-Stallone-movie-instead direction. But since I was snoring with my mouth open for a good ten minutes at the start, I was a wee bit addle-pated. The moral lesson: watch this movie from the start, and don’t fall asleep. Especially with your mouth open. It looks gross.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:46 pm
i watched bigtime when it was screened in megamall. the audio in the theater was so bad so i couldn’t keep up with the story. buti na lang may vcd na.
November 2nd, 2006 at 1:53 pm
Try watching The Departed then The Guardian…hopefully you won’t sleep on them!
November 2nd, 2006 at 6:35 pm
This was actually a really good movie! It comes together in the end, I swear. But I admit that in the middle of the movie, I was whispering to my friend “I still don’t get it.”
November 3rd, 2006 at 6:58 am
the movie was great! but i dony know why i was so scared after the movie. mybe because of the ‘clone’s’ death. aren’t you be afraid kapag you knew na you will die na pla? my heart was pounding so hard after the movie..
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:03 pm
uhm, can’t get the ending…
was it hugh jackman’s clone dead inside the box or was he actually alive. the story’s kinda profound.
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:47 pm
I was doubtful to watch this movie at first but because of your review I will definitely watch it =)
November 3rd, 2006 at 7:40 pm
i like the movie. it was philosophical. but what really stuck to me the most was knowing how magicians live their lives. although the movie was an exaggeration, but essentially, it represents a portion of the life of a somebody in that particular field.
November 5th, 2006 at 1:45 am
Roanne: I think it was Hugh’s clone and he’s dead. However my friend swears she saw bubbles coming out of the clone’s mouth.
Love this movie! Really makes you analyze everything so make sure you bring along a friend.
November 5th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
i loved this movie!
it’s a good date movie actually ’cause u can get to talk about so many details about it 
i don’t wanna put any spoilers, though, but this movie’s one of my top picks for this year 
November 8th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
actually, i believe that the true hugh jackman is already dead, and the one who got ‘the prestige’ is the clone.
November 10th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
This flick got my mind debating on a lot of details/inconsistencies in the storyline. Watched in >1 wk ago, so can’t recall details. Funny thing was, mid-movie I figured out the ‘clone’ story cuz of the black cat/s and the hats (how Dr. Seuss!). My date was still befuddled…Lia’s right~there’s SO MANY twists and turns and theories to talk about.
**Trivia: Did you know that TESLA was a real person in American history? I think he was Thomas Edison’s employee or something, and things soured between the 2. So that explains why in the film, Edison’s (hench)men seemed bent on destroying Tesla’s work.**
But I agree w/ Moiski, I think the true Hugh died~this was the major “sacrifice” that he had to go thru to pull this trick. It was always a new prestige who’d emerge…but I still wondered how the prestige would think??? He has the exact same emotions/psyche/awareness of his entire life right, not its like just a physical clone?
The movie plot is truly one of the most ingeniously and creatively twisted ones I’ve ever seen in YEARS! Galing!
November 11th, 2006 at 5:26 am
i also watched this movie and got really amazed by how well the plot was sewn together to make a coherent story. it was very philosophical and has lots of layers in it. an audience can watch it and dive as deep as they can and will surely find something interesting.
November 14th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Loved this movie! My friend told me to really concentrate while watching, so I did. I loved how the movie made you think all throughout
Chimpster: That’s an interesting tidbit! Thanks for sharing with us
December 1st, 2006 at 8:02 pm
love love love this film! one of the best i’ve seen this year.
August 17th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
another awesome movie.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:43 am
I really loved this movie. Not just because of Christian Bale’s acting, but the story is really good…I just understood the history by the second time i’ve watched…i’m not sure yet of who was the real Angier or the real Alfred =P
Really great movie! I love Christian Bale! He’s the reason i’ve watched this movie…it worthed it! =D