Thursday, February 15, 2007

The Prestige: An Obsession with Illusion


IS and I, an item, be it Christmas, New Year or Valentine's Day.
Dinner from the poolside cafe and a thriller of a dvd.
IS's taste in lit, music and movie is eclectic, which suits me fine.
Obsession is the key to the magic of The Prestige. The obsessive rivalry between two struggling magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) builds a taut suspense that ends in a riveting climax. Set in Victorian London, the movie captures the dark side of the city in stark contrast to the lure of the stage lights, the spirit of scientific consciousness and the wonders of new discoveries at the turn of the century.
Nolan's adaptation of Priest's best-selling novel takes us on a rollercoaster narrative that makes us want to play back the critical scenes as soon as the end credits roll. What is Illusion and what is Reality? Who is the Man in the Box and who is the Prestige? Is the key to the Ultimate Illusion worth all that energy, time and money?
The supporting cast, comprised of Michael Caine, Scarlet Johansson and Andy Serkis, gave sterling performances. Even David Bowie appears as the enigmatic genius, Nikola Tesla.
http://www.hmv.co.uk


4 comments:

zewt said...

you only watch this now? think this was out middle of last year or something. quite a masterpiece consider the twist in the end. the always-dark cinematography suits the film well.

will you severe your finger in the name of passion?

BaitiBadarudin said...

I think it was released late 2006 or early 2007; a macabre masterpiece, I agree.
I will not even lift a finger in the name of passion; would you?

zewt said...

perhaps severing it is a bit too far... but you'll never know what ppl will do for passion.

BaitiBadarudin said...

that's why there's 'crime of passion'; but i've pledged not to be manipulated or provoked into one.
as for principles, and loved ones, i've made sacrifices.