Much like a magic trick, The Prestige is a movie that takes an ordinary thing (in this case, a storyline centering around a rivalry between two people of the same craft), and then twists it with a large number of tricks and acts of sleight of hand. The audience needs to pay attention, or they will be left wondering what happened, and just how the characters in the movie pulled the feat off. Co-writer and director Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Insomnia) has created a perplexing and intriguing revenge drama set in the world of magic and illusions. The film is brilliant in its depiction of mood, atmosphere, and getting us lost in its story and the world of tricks that the characters live in. Where it is slightly less successful is in digging deeper into these characters. While still a highly satisfying experience, when it's all over, you still feel like The Prestige doesn't have as much up its sleeve as you initially thought.

Set mainly in late 19th Century London, the story revolves around a pair of young aspiring magicians who, as the story begins, are studying under an acclaimed master by the name of Cutter (Michael Caine). These men are Robert (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred (Christian Bale). One night, a magic trick goes horribly wrong, causing the lovely young assistant (Piper Perabo), who just happens to be Robert's wife, to lose her life in front of an audience. Worst of all, it would seem that Alfred may or may not have been the cause. This begins a bitter and lifelong rivalry as the two men go their separate ways, bent on not only discovering the ultimate magic trick, but in also destroying each other's lives, both professionally and personally. It begins by attempting to sabotage one another's act, and quickly escalates when they both fall for the same woman (Scarlet Johansson). The feud becomes an all-consuming obsession for both to see the other fall, and as they will soon learn, obsession comes with a price greater than any monetary value.

Many people have compared The Prestige to a film released just months ago called The Illusionist, which also apparently dealt with a pair of rival magicians. I have not seen this film, so I cannot say how closely the two resemble each other. What I can say is that The Prestige is an intriguing story of revenge and obsession as these two characters devote their lives to one-upping and destroying each other. The film's strongest trait is its depiction of the world that magicians live in, and the secrets of their trade. When the movie is taking a behind the scenes look at the business of the two men, and everything that goes into their tricks, it is completely fascinating. Screenwriters Christopher and Jonathan Nolan know how to play the audience, just like a fine magician should. From the appropriately foggy old-world atmosphere, to the stage performances that both give throughout the story, there is a certain air of mystery that immediately captures your intention almost from the very opening shot. The film is told somewhat out of sequence, so that we are left wondering during the film's opening moments, only to delight us when the realization comes to light later on. Telling a film out of sequence successfully is certainly a tricky thing, but for the most part, The Prestige handles it in a way so that it seems appropriate instead of gimmicky.

I only wish the storytelling was as wonderful underneath as it appears to be on its surface. Unfortunately, the revenge storyline that drives the main characters throughout the film is quite shallow, making them come across as spoiled, immature children rather than adults. While the movie gives us a fine start to the personal feud with the death of Robert's wife on stage, afterward, it becomes a bit harder to swallow that these men would carry such a massive grudge against one another, so much so that they would go to such extremes as to literally attempt to destroy each other's lives. A lot of this has to do with the fact that the screenplay keeps us at a curious distance from truly getting to know the characters. There is a love triangle subplot concerning an assistant of Robert's (Scarlet Johansson) who is sent to spy on Alfred, and winds up developing feelings for her boss' rival. Unfortunately, very little is done with this, and Johansson's character disappears quite abruptly from the film. Alfred is married with a child, and his affair with the woman, and the affect that it has on his family strangely does not play as large of a role in the story as one think it would or should. In fact, the character of Alfred's wife seems so underdeveloped, popping in and out of the story at random, that the final outcome of her story arc does not hit the audience as hard as the filmmakers probably intended. All the pieces are there for great drama, and since the movie does not dig deep enough, it comes across as simply good drama that could have been great if it just went a bit further.

If the characters are a bit hard to relate to on the written page, due to their somewhat underdeveloped personalities, at least the performances are here to take our minds off that fact at least while we're watching it. Both Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are in top form as the feuding magicians. The film wisely does not take sides. This is a story where both men are driven by jealousy and rage, and although Jackman comes across as the more likeable of the two, even he does not escape unscathed. They are both complex characters, and although their rivalry may not be developed as deep as I would have liked, they are still believable in their relationship and their individual performances. Scarlet Johansson is also able to rise above her somewhat underwritten character, and create a vulnerable female character caught in the middle of a war between two men she has feelings for. While its true that her individual relationships with both characters could have been explained more, her scenes with both Jackman and Bale hold enough passion during the fleeting glimpses that we do see of their relationships. Rounding out the main cast is Michael Caine as the master to both men, who brings both warmth and sometimes humor to his performance.

The spell that this film casts cannot be denied. You are enthralled by The Prestige while you are watching it, but when you take away the illusions and the smoke and mirrors, you find that there is less than you initially thought. I am giving this film a recommendation nonetheless, because I think it is an enjoyable film as it is. It's just one that could have been even better if it dug a bit deeper. Still, it moves at a brisk pace despite the just over two hour running time, it's entertaining, and it knows how to get you involved in a way that few films can. In the end, The Prestige is mostly successful sleight of hand that leaves you craving more.

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