DVD Review: The Prestige

DVD Review: The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006, USA).

After a comic book film, what would you do if you were a director? Make more like Bryan Singer or Mark Steven Johnson? Or strike out and do something different like Ang Lee? Christopher Nolan, a guy who obviously doesn't want to be pegged down, opts for the latter with a twisty-turney puzzle of a film. Or should that be magic trick... (Lazy writing I know).
Two up-and-coming magicians Borden (Christian Bale) and Angier (Hugh Jackman) start off as friends working for a magician hoping to be the next big sensation. After a tragic accident kills Angier's wife, the two become bitter rivals stopping at nothing to out-do each other. After Borden comes up with the greatest magic trick ever seen, Angier becomes obsessed with finding out his secret.
That is all I really want to say about the plot because this film has a place in the ever more commpn place genre of films with big twists. While this film does certainly have twists along the way, what must be said about it is how amazingly well the script and direction work to make this film become the cinematic equivilant of a magic trick. The film shows you things which you believe are ordinary, adds a sense of mystery and then amazes you with something which when you know, seems obvious, but at the time, you just cannot figure out how it will play out. Opinion of the reveal has been mixed. Some have complained that it was too obvious or was too outlandish or ridiuclous to be satisfying. I would not agree. Having seen this film twice, I can say that it holds up very well. The components which make up the big trick(s) are set up clearly but to say that you figure it out first time would be bullshit, I would suggest. This also takes out feelings of it being too ridculous. The world created is so intricate and fully formed that what happens does not feel unreal, it feels true to the world of the film.
Having said all this, watching it the second time, knowing how it plays out, brings to light just how brilliant this film is. It is comletely gripping from beginning to end. It looks amazing, the cinematography by Wally Pfister was some of the best of any film last year, and the direction is brilliant from beginning to end. the story of just what the two magicians are capalbe of is also brogught to the fore. if you think about what each one is doing, the film takes on a wholly more disturbing edge. The editing too is also top notch. the film amy be confusing at times but that is all to do with the plot, the editing makes the film flow as freely and easily as it can but does not ever intrude or dare to make this a case of style over substance. The production and set design are also exemplary. It's just a classy looking movie.
So the perfomances. Hugh Jackman and Chirstian Bale as the rivals do some good work without ever really breaking out. They have played these types of roles before and will again. They are very good at them but its nothing you haven't seen before. Scarlett Johansson does OK in what is a really quite thankless role, one which does not require the actress to do anything other than look pretty. To be fair, she does that well. Rebecca Hall on the other hand, pulss off a really rather well written role as Borden's wife. The sense of frustration she feels is brought o the fore very nicely and her perfomance really is heartbreaking. My favourites though are the two more left-field perfomances in the film. Andy Serkis brings a light to touch to his role as Tesla's assistant. His enthusaiasm bonds well with Angier and also with my favourite charcter in the piece. DAVID BOWIE!!!! Not only does Bowie play Tesla but a. He uses one of the strangest accents I have ever heard on a film and b. His first apparance is through a field of electricity! His charcter is supposed to bee malevolent and mysterious and Bowie is the perfect choice for this part. The man is jut odd, but very cool as well and again, that is Bowie. it may not be a strech for him but I don't care.
So, a great film. Brillaint plot, looks incredible and the perfomances are solid. And it has Bowie in it. What's not to love?

Video: Very nice transfer, handles both light and dark very well. Tis a tasd murky at times but I think this is a stylistic choice and not the fault of the DVD mastering. Would love to see the Blu-Ray version hoever, as I have heard it is incredible.

Audio: Involving Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. great surround where there needs to be, very nice use of bass when it has to be used (you will know), but it never overpowers the dialogue. Not exactly reference quality but a good job nonetheless.

DVD Extras:

The Director's Notebook: 20 minute long documentary, made up of several parts. Better than the majority of doumentaries on DVDs of this length as it talks about all sorts of aspects of the production and is not just full of platitudes directed at the cast and crew. We get talk of visual metaphors used in the film, and how certain shots were achieved. i wish it was longer to be honest as this film feels like it needs a good documentary.

Trailer: Really interesting trailer which perked my attention to the film up when I first saw it. Fits the mood and tone of the film very well.

Disapointing number of extras for a film which I very highly recommend as one of my favourites of last year.

I won't be reviewing Zidane as I didn't make it the whole way through. It's literally following Zidane for the whole time and it nearly put me to sleep. Great soundtrack though and the surround effects were used very well.

Bye!