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Just got in from seeing this, i really enjoyed it its good to see a film where you have to have a bit of intelligence to follow it unlike some of those in the audience where i went to see it. The film has lots of twists and misdirection just like any good magic trick and afterwards when you think over the details of scenes in the movie they all become important and complete the picture. The performances are excellent, Scarlett Johnasson as Atomo points out isnt great but she serves a purpose to the story when all is revealed. The tricks that are in the movie are of the period as mentioned above but are not credited to the creators for example, Houdini etc. I doubt that some of the sleight of hand that appears in the film is actually done by Bale and Jackman as Atomo seems to believe a stunt performer was probably used however it does add to the film. I also really liked the atmosphere of the film this period in time was the Golden age of magic and the film captures it perfectly and there are what i assume to be nods to this period such as a performance in a small theatre with Egyptian statues which im guessing is supposed to be a nod at the famous Egyptian theatre where so many magicians performed.
All in all I thought the film was great and I would rate it as 9 out of ten and not just because i do magic but it has a great plot i would recommend this to any one who wants to be entertained by something intelligent for a change. I didnt give it ten out of ten though due to there being a number of plot holes and things that could have been done better.

I've just got in from watching it and it was great. In a way it was like the Departed in terms of gripping plot, two characters, twists and turns etc. Well worth going to see.

Great movie, I've always been a fan of both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, so this was really a treat for me. I expected to know the ending after you see how Tesla's machine works, but it really threw me. I loved it though, would def. recommend to anyone else.

i read in an interview that ricky jay coached the cast memebers on sleight of hand, and saw Jackman do his ball bearing trick in an interview. Atomo still thinks that they did their own tricks

I saw The Prestige today and it was excellent.

Great performances and a great story. I came out with two main thoughts - what you can achieve with complete commitment to your art and wasn't magic fantastic in the olden days?!

Yeah, magic was so classy once upon a time.

Not that the magicians got less classy. The world did.

Yeah.

And there was so much more magic in those days, with theatres the main form of entertainment and magicians often at the top of the bill.

Just saw this film last night, and absolutely loved it, although I suspect the magician in me took over as my friend who has similar cinematic tastes but is not a magician was not quite as enthralled.

I thought pretty much all of it was perfectly pitched - there was enough revelation, but nothing to actually offend modern day magicians, and I loved everything about the extent that people will go to for an effect, like the chinaman and the goldfish bowl (and eventually the twists!). It was "supernatural", but in a chilling, "brink of modern era" way rather than just being stupid, and both Jackman and Bale were fantastic in each role - it was even educated enough to tackle the debates we have on here all the time; the need for showmanship as well as technique, and why you never reveal your secrets. I bet for some people's significant others it also raised sore points about relationship priorities...!

Plus of course, cameo by Ricky Jay Now, who wants to buy the disappearing birdcage...?!

Yes I saw this tonight and I agree that it is an enjoyable film. The twist was kind of obvious earlier on but that didn't really detract from teh film. I felt teh middle of the film was a little slow though. But it was an enjoyable and intelligent thriller/mystery kinda thing. Recommended.

Well even old Flashy liked this film, although I thought the end was a bit overly far fetched.

If you haven't seen it guys I suggest you do... It was pretty reminiscent of one of my favourite books of all time, Carter Beats The Devil (and if you haven't read that you DEFINITELY should)!

Mrs.M. and I saw this last night and we both enjoyed it. As Flashy says, part of the ending stretches the belief muscles a bit but viewed overall it's a good film. Many of the apparently isolated or irrelevant scenes in the early and mid sections prove to be well connected and very relevant so it has to be watched in entirety before judging. I'd like to see it again and just connect more of the little bits which seemed to be there for the heck of it. It was nice to see Ricky Jay as the inept conjurer at the start and, as has been mentioned, it all gives the flavour of the intense rivalry and dirty tricks used in magic at the start of the last century - cruel treatment of livestock included. Jim Steinmeyer's book 'Hiding the Elephant' showed that many of the big names in magic were less than nice people who would steal ideas with no thought for the consequences and this film caught that aspect very well indeed.

Flash wrote:Well even old Flashy liked this film, although I thought the end was a bit overly far fetched.

I think one thing they could have done was play up on the era a bit more, I didn't get quite enough of a gothic victorian feel to it, which might have made the story - if not more believable - more "appropriate", given the fiction of the time!
I also loved how bits interconnected and began to make sense; suddenly you realise why they've been hammering that disappearing birdcage trick all this time...

I'm a big fan of Mark Kermode but sadly his review was very brief, expectedly eclipsed by 007 - also a cracking view.

Sadly i didnt rate this film highly. The plot was overly complex with distracted from the story, as viewers are just trying to keep up with each character. The moving forward and backward in time (like when the guy is reading the diary) destroys the pace of the movie. The 'suprise' twists i saw coming a mile off. Its not going to be one of my favourites. Although i did like the atmosphere of the film. I think they got the era quite well. Would have liked to see more of Chung Ling Soo though...especially because of the emphasis on the Bullet Catch trick

[quote="Atomo"] Chirstian Bale is great as Alfred Borden, his accent is convincing, and he carries a dark heavy atmosphere into his scenes.


Christian Bale is Welsh so his accent isn't really worth commenting on in this movie....It is near enough his natural voice....In other films though his accent is excellent. (Harsh Times excluded). My apologies if this is nit-picking... just wouldnt want you to think he was the daddy (which he is anyway) cos he does a great English accent...

The film was very entertaining...like another member pointed out it is rather slow-ish in the middle and the Tesla, Thomas edison thing was in danger of losing my interest, on the whole though the illusions are great, the story is excellent and the execution is top notch...

before going to see this I was desperate (or if you know Glaswegian... hoachin') for it not to be a cop out...i.e not go down the path of explaining things as 'real magic'...In that respect the film took the otherwise sweet taste out of my mouth but it was not entirely lost...Any 'real magic' in this movie is backed up with showmanship, flair and method and is not simply a case of relying on the wizardry of the device to generate applause...

With a little eye candy for the lads in Scarlett (who to be honest I, personally dont rate highly in looks or talent) and a Gratuitous topless shot of a rather ripped Hugh Jackman for the ladies there isnt much to complain about in this film for magicians or lay people alike.

All in all in my opinion worthy to be in the IMDB top 250.

Bob

and, honestly, I didnt expect how the original transported man was done (I may have been silly - but that just came as a big surprise )