Are you looking closely?

Christopher Nolan did it again. After Batman Begins, he's got another winner on his hand - The Prestige.

The pace was good, casting apt, and of course, the script (based on a novel by Christopher Priest) keeps you thinking right till the end. And after.

I can't help but compare the movie to Deathnote. Both are about 2 people rivalling and using mindgames to try to defeat one another, both portray how the characters stray and dwelve deeper into obsession as they strive to outdo each other. And I can't help but think, or hope, that Deathnote could have been handled closer to how The Prestige was handled when it comes to suspense, tension, character evolvement and even plot development. I suppose I'm just still a little disappointed that not all the plot cleverness in the Deathnote manga was brought out onto the big screen. I hope the sequel will be better.

Back to The Prestige. Whose side were you on when you were watching the movie? Or switching sides as the situation worsened against any one character? Did you think it was fair, the actions that each of them took? Or, were you just a cool observer to the whole game, looking closely?

[spoiler]

I still don't know if it was fair, what Borden did to Angier's wife that started the whole thing. But as the story went on, it's certainly hard to determine who's right and who's wrong. Or who's more agrieved and who's more deserving.

The whole Tesla contraption's rather eerie, huh. I mean, to think he'd be drowning himself every night, for a 100 times. Was thinking about this after the movie on the way home, and suddenly wondered how Angier would know which night it was that the 'new him' should not appear in front of the audience? My only conclusion is that he must have trusted himself to spot Borden amongst the volunteers on stage.

Also, it wasn't at all possible, was it, for Borden to write his secret on the piece of paper that Angier tore at the prison. Because at that stage Borden already knew Angier's secret (from his diary), and that his 'other-half' would be able to avenge him.

Actually, both of them sacrificed equally for their obsession. The secrets in the end are not the secrets behind the magic, but the secret of their lives - literally.

[/spoiler]

Oh yes, and what a surprise to see David Bowie as Tesla! XD