The Prestige

The Prestige (Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johannson) – This is a “magical mystery tour” in the real sense since the story is all about magicians and mystery, misdirection and manipulation.  Extraordinary well done, this is a tour de force for Hugh Jackman, who seems to be in every movie out this year.  Oddly, Americans Christian Bale and Scarlett Johannson both play Brits while Jackman, a Brit, plays an American.  The two men play obsessed rivals, both seeking the signature trick and desperate to make sure the other doesn’t get there first.  Johansson plays the love of both in one of her more convincing roles.  Bale re-teams with his Batman Begins director, Christopher Nolan, and shows real range while Michael Caine, who played Bales’ Alfred in Batman Begins, is solid as the mastermind behind the tricks.  The audience is kept guessing while it learns some of the magicians’ secrets.   And the ending is not as predictable as you think. This is a masterpiece that earned its box office success and just might sneak into the Oscar battle.