The Prestige

Although the film's stunning reveals make the audience realise it has been duped... there is a protagonist to empathise with each time.

The film is never less than engaging, though considering that the title The Prestige refers to the moment in a magic act that gives it its "wow" factor, it's kind of a shame that the ultimate "reveal" in the movie is a little too tricky for its own good.

It's quite a movie -- atmospheric, obsessive, almost satanic.

An example of old-fashioned storytelling, the kind of magical movie that could have been made fifty years ago and, consequently, will still be watched fifty years from now.

The who's-bilking-whom mind games make for compelling fun, but once the presto moment of The Prestige is revealed, you're left with nothing but shattered illusions.

Odd, but brilliantly so. It's a small film that feels big, a period drama that looks modern, defying comparison to anything but Nolan himself.

Nolan looks at how obsession can drive you beyond your limit and destroy everything, even when the simple answer is right in front of you. In the process, he … intentionally crafts an allegory of filmmaking itself.

In terms of building narratives on top of narratives, this one really cemented Nolan as one of cinema’s most cerebral storytellers.

The Prestige is a thrilling film but it requires multiple viewings to better understand the narrative.

Appearances aside, this is not a story of stage magic. It is a thriller of obsession built on the dramatic fulcrum of driving vengeance...