The Prestige

Immediately after seeing The Prestige, I wanted to rewatch it. Christopher Nolan, the director of this movie, has a pattern of doing that, as he was also the writer and director of Memento and Batman Begins, two movies I find frequently rewatchable. While this movie does not quite make it to that level of rewatchability, it's an enjoyable film I definitely look forward to purchasing and seeing again when it comes out on DVD.

Personally, however, I don't want to rewatch The Prestige for its magic and the tricks it has up its sleeves, but purely for the performances, period and story that so expertly unfolds before your very eyes. That's the true magic of this film. This marks Hugh Jackman's best performance to date, and while it may not be Bale's or Caine's strongest ever (they both have a longer resume anyway), they are equally strong. Also, with as much jumping back and forth in time that the film does, it never feels like Nolan uses it purely as a plot device, as it has been most often used since Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Instead, it actually aids the story and allows for the audience to try and figure things out a little longer as the magic show take place before our very eyes.

This is one I was glad to see before the masses, on its opening night, and don't want to spoil anything for anybody. Go see The Prestige before being told anything about it. I enjoyed piecing the puzzle together before the secrets were revealed, but that's not to say it's a cheap trick. Go in with your mind and eyes open, ready for anything. It's an entertaining movie that had me intrigued all the way through, from the first frame to the last. The first line of the film asks the audience, "Are you watching closely?" I did. And I can assure you, I'll be rewatching the movie just as closely.

The bottom line: Rewatchable