The Prestige

Christopher Nolan is a brilliant artist who has already accomplished an incredible amount in film, and he is just barely over forty. When he directed the first "Batman" and announced the film "The Prestige," people probably thought he just wanted to take a little break from substance. But Nolan didn't want to rest at all. He took an interesting, relatively unknown book by Christopher Priest and made a film that will leave you breathless. He managed to do something that many directors have been trying to do since "The Sixth Sense" - he created such a powerful twist that it will give you chills when you realize what you have been watching the whole time. The well-chosen environment of magicians, mutual rivalry, the effort to be more and more perfect, at any cost. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Michael Caine prove how great actors they are, especially Jackman who showed that he is truly a talented actor. The other two only confirmed it. But what leads the film is the great atmosphere that culminates in a truly amazing finale. This film is meticulously thought out in every detail. There are not many like it. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/06/karate-kid-parchanti-hromy-blesky-uca.html (20/02/2013)

Another tangled exhibition by Christopher Nolan, much more comprehensible than Memento and much more entertaining and original than the boring Insomnia. However, I need to ask an important question. What was it actually about? Nothing. This film is just like the tricks performed by the magicians, it has absolutely no storytelling value at its core and offers a sweet illusion that will appeal to many viewers. It is strong in terms of acting, brilliant in terms of costumes, but bloated in terms of plot and internally empty. Nevertheless, this entire trick is presented with such drive and audacity that it cannot be rejected in the end. (09/09/2007)

"It's not important who disappears in the box, but who appears." Obsession with anything can lead anyone to ruin, but what if the inevitable and dark outcome of your efforts is neither death nor salvation? I don't like gratuitous twists, I don't like finger-snapped endings, and I especially don't like the feeling when the creators try to cheaply outsmart me. But what if someone presents a few exhausting twists that won't tire you out and instead make you want more of them? Now I understand why it took the Nolan brothers so long to develop this screenplay, because thinking through the story (even based on a novel) to all its consequences must have taken a lot of effort. And observing the eternal feud between Borden and Angier is the pinnacle of viewer happiness. I thank the creators that the perfect line "Are you watching closely?" fortunately doesn't have an audiovisual, but rather a thoughtful foundation. If it only depended on discovering a few images, the trick couldn't work a second time, but this way everything truly depends only on the storytellers. The viewer then remains helpless, like a prisoner locked in a water reservoir. (12/01/2007)

Christopher Nolan is slowly but surely becoming one of my favourite directors. The Prestige is sharing with Memento the position of his best film (at least for me). I like his more intimate thrillers a bit more than Batman. The actors are superb, with a Christian Bale a lot more convincing than in Batman Begins and The Dark Night. The script is awesome, packed with minor turns and impressive situations and scenes, and by the end it delivers an unexpected twist that, although not as brilliant as Memento’s, makes everything fall into place and make perfect sense. I hope Nolan will take a break from Batman so we can get again something smaller. (29/08/2008)

Christopher Nolan is one of the cult directors of our time, so I was curious about his latest known film from his filmography, which I had not seen until now. Movie fans usually prefer his Batman comic adaptations, but those fall into the realm of mass popular culture and have such a silly foundation in their comic source that not even Nolan can turn them into a top-notch film masterpiece despite the generous budget and all the effort. I prefer the aspect of his work represented, for example, by Following, but that is not a viewer-friendly film and is more appreciated by a minority of film fans. In my eyes, The Prestige is a truly perfect combination of the professionalism of a large American studio with a generous budget and providing a generous cast and the creativity of a talented film creator who is capable, in this case, of presenting the audience with a film with a certain depth. The Prestige meets all my requirements for a good film - a visually interesting spectacle, a strong story, charismatic characters, an ambiguous script that enhances the story with a series of twists, and a thought-provoking world. Of course, some concessions to the audience could be pointed out here as well, but that's just how it goes in cinema, and in its category, The Prestige is a truly very above-average film. This film has a story that seems to have come from the pen of Jules Verne on the edge between the science fiction and mystery genres. It deals with the ruthless rivalry of two illusionists that goes beyond their profession to the extent that it destroys their closest surroundings and devours them. In the background of their conflict, we also see the no less forceful rivalry of two prominent scientists of the time - Nikola Tesla and Edison. We are in the 19th century with its boundless belief in scientific progress, and the culmination of the film also brings a warning against the misuse of scientific discovery for the satisfaction of one's egotistical cravings and even for crime. In addition, The Prestige also has excellent craftsmanship in the form of a dark atmosphere, finely pointed scenes, quality music, and attractive camera work. For me, a truly enjoyable experience that I appreciate with a 100% overall impression. (08/09/2011)