Casting the Shadow of Doubt
I don't remember who released the memo telling every big production company to start playing Magic tricks as plots, but it was received and followed. After Edward Norton's low key release "The Illusionist" disappeared, Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine and the director of Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan, pulled a rabbit out of their hat with "The Prestige."
Couple things they have going for them over "Illusionist." Lets start with cast: JAckman, Bale vs Ed Norton. There is no competition. Norton is a man who works well off other characters: "Fight Club," "American History X," "Death To Smoochy"... All were good performances by Norton with phenomenal performances by other people. In movies he has done with himself as the main lead ("25th Hour, to name just one'), the movie was lackluster and blah. With Blae and Jackman, from their very first big movies ("Newsies" and "X-Men", respectively), they showed they can build a character and hold it, bring an audience and entertain them.
Plot is a big question mark with two movies of the same subject matter as well. "Prestige" involves conflict, battle, one on one drama between Jackman and Bale. "Illusionist" is a love story. Guy wants girl, so he makes her inhibitions (and probably clothes) vanish. Its a chick flick with a card trick. If I wanted a chick flick, i would have rented "Steel Magnolias" and stocked up on Kleenex. If i wanted a magic show, Mindfreak should be in syndication soon. I want something new. Dueling Magicians gets my vote here.
Maybe its because I think Ed Norton is the most overrated actor of all time or because Christian Bale is drop dead gorgeous. But if you have to choose one, I'd go for the Prestige, as about 1.4 million people did this last weekend.
