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The Prestige

Play trailer 2:26 Poster for The Prestige PG-13 Released Oct 20, 2006 2h 10m Drama Fantasy Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 206 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
An illusion gone horribly wrong pits two 19th-century magicians, Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman), against each other in a bitter battle for supremacy. Terrible consequences loom when the pair escalate their feud, each seeking not just to outwit -- but to destroy -- the other man.
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The Prestige

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Critics Consensus

Full of twists and turns, The Prestige is a dazzling period piece that never stops challenging the audience.

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Critics Reviews

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Graham Fuller Sight & Sound Although the film's stunning reveals make the audience realise it has been duped... there is a protagonist to empathise with each time. Nov 2, 2018 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times It's quite a movie -- atmospheric, obsessive, almost satanic. Rated: 3/4 Sep 7, 2007 Full Review Brian Tallerico UGO 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. Mar 24, 2007 Full Review Sarah Vincent Sarah G Vincent Views Plus one of Jackman’s early conceits revealed what a good actor he can be, and we forget because of the body. He actually manages to seem like a different person and almost change the structure of his face in one early scene w Jan 2, 2025 Full Review Brian Pendreigh Radio Times Nolan constructs a fascinating tale that twists and turns at every opportunity, although there is perhaps one twist too many in a slightly overbaked dénouement. Rated: 4/5 Aug 22, 2024 Full Review Akhil Arora AkhilArora.com 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. Oct 17, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Beau B. An extremely engaging and mind boggling movie from Christopher Nolan. If you pay attention to every little detail in this movie you’ll love it even more. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/25 Full Review Han A. This movie is one of the most underrated movies of all time the big plot twists and the engaging story telling by Chris Nolan and his brother Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/01/25 Full Review Nick R Engaging and challenging in only a way that Nolan can pull off. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/30/25 Full Review shane o The story keeps you gripped throughout . Excellent acting and well directed. The ending is good, even though I have seen it several times I would watch it again Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/23/25 Full Review Tyler S I personally think this is one of Nolan's most different, interesting, and darkest work yet. Just like the general synopsis, this film is just one big great illusion. Used to love magic as a kid, and I have still had that feeling in the back of my head. So I went into this with some pretty high expectations, especially with Nolan at the helm. And man, it was exactly what I expected. Plus, I've never really watched any films with this kind of story. I was on the edge of my seat as my head was swirling with questions. But that was the goal. It's all about magic and illusions. Plus, the work by Jackman and Bale was phenomenal. Loved seeing them in these roles! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/17/25 Full Review Gabe C Although interesting and entertaining to watch, Nolan’s “The Prestige” has a few key pitfalls. The twist at the end—that Borden and Angier use a cloning machine to perform their tricks—doesn’t follow naturally. Rather, it is a contrived twist. The movie is set in a historical time with historical characters, such as Nikola Tesla. The machine that Tesla himself builds is clearly just a Tesla coil, and does not fit into the previously realistic world that is set up. Though “real magic” is hinted at several times, Angier says himself on stage, “What you are about to see is not magic. It’s science.” Thus the hints to the mystery aren’t really hints at all. A world that involves practical effects and illusions within the magician’s shows and has no hint of science fiction suddenly produces a cloning device—and that just doesn’t make sense. My other problem with the movie is the lack of a character arc. Both Borden and Angier are quite simply terrible people, and nobody learns from their mistakes. By the end, the women in their lives are dead and/or cheated on, lies have abounded, and Angier has tens of drowned bodies in a basement. There is a thorough lack of redemption in the film, no light at the end of the tunnel, and I have to fault it for that. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/10/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Prestige

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Movie Info

Synopsis An illusion gone horribly wrong pits two 19th-century magicians, Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman), against each other in a bitter battle for supremacy. Terrible consequences loom when the pair escalate their feud, each seeking not just to outwit -- but to destroy -- the other man.
Director
Christopher Nolan
Producer
Christopher Nolan, Aaron Ryder, Emma Thomas
Screenwriter
Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Distributor
Buena Vista
Production Co
Newmarket Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Violence|Disturbing Images)
Genre
Drama, Fantasy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 20, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 23, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$53.1M
Runtime
2h 10m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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