The Prestige

[The Last Meatbag]

Spoiler

Borden had a twin brother, why?

Because the canary that died in the beginning had one too

 

[Warhammer]

Damn.
The movie was great as hell.
I was truly amazed by the film. It definitely, IMO, deserves some Oscar buzz for something, whether it be Director, Actor, etc. I loved the plot twists and sudden realizations, the time loops, and the ending scenes. I loved the performances, and I like Jackman, Bale, and Nolan that much more.

Also, thanks for the theories and such that everyone has been posting, and the Wikipedia page helped, as well.



Rating: 9/10.

 

[Warhammer]

Great ideas everyone! Its not everyday that you get a movie where there are so many different perspectives. Now, mostly, that would be bad because the movie was supposed to have one definitive meaning, however, this movie is the exception. I think that its great that everyone has their own idea of what happened as it shows what the movie means to us. Our idea of how the movie played out represents who we are and how we think (sounds kinda corny lol). Anyways lets keep the opiniions coming, I LOVE THIS FILM!

I feel the same way.

 

[Lighthouse]

Spoiler

Borden had a twin brother, why?

Because the canary that died in the beginning had one too

Dude. Spoiler tags. Seriously.

 

[Warhammer]

...actually, in a way, shouldn't people not go in this thread, obviously because there will be spoilers? If you didn't see the movie, don't go in the thread. Surely, people aren't gonna get off topic or something. It's basically a review thread now, and anyone who goes into a review thread and getting mad at spoiling themselves deserve to be spoiled.

 

[batman11]

...actually, in a way, shouldn't people not go in this thread, obviously because there will be spoilers? If you didn't see the movie, don't go in the thread. Surely, people aren't gonna get off topic or something. It's basically a review thread now, and anyone who goes into a review thread and getting mad at spoiling themselves deserve to be spoiled.

True say, btw I like that idea about the canary, pretty thought provoking and interesting. Now, if the spoiler tags are out: I still think it was a clone though, otherwise why would Borden need Tesla?

 

[Flexo]

True say, btw I like that idea about the canary, pretty thought provoking and interesting. Now, if the spoiler tags are out: I still think it was a clone though, otherwise why would Borden need Tesla?

Spoiler

Borden put in the journal that he wrote "Tesla" just to send Angier on the wrong track.

 

[Anita18]

Because lightning is pretty and he was sorely lacking the "oooh ahhh" factor.

 

[ToddIsDead]

Borden had a twin brother, why?

Because the canary that died in the beginning had one too

Jeez. Such a simple, obvious concept, and I didn't really come close to thinking that.

 

[Spelunking Man]

Movie is great, but I'm sure novelisation is better. I might read the book someday. I find the movie entertaining, I hope it would end up a nomination for an Oscar for Best Picture.

 

[Leto Atrides]

True say, btw I like that idea about the canary, pretty thought provoking and interesting. Now, if the spoiler tags are out: I still think it was a clone though, otherwise why would Borden need Tesla?

If it goes that way, that it's a twin, it adds some cool different elements. Borden was just BS'ing about Tesla, but Tesla was brilliant enough to pull it off anyway. Also, Borden seems all the more dedicated (and the story more twisted) because he is two different individuals who live one life, rather than a real guy and his copy.

 

[Anita18]

Borden had a twin brother, why?

Because the canary that died in the beginning had one too

Actually I think the canary story reflects Angier's situation more. One version of him has to die every time the trick is performed. That's hella creepy if you think about it that way...

However, I suppose that it could be attributed to Borden and his "last" trick (ie, living on after being hanged).

The Chinese magician and the goldfish bowl were more reflective of Borden and his life, since Borden's the one who suggests that he feigns being crippled so the audience won't think he's holding the bowl between his legs. Living your life as a lie for the sake of a trick....that's exactly what Borden was doing.

 

[The Shape]

Finally caught this tonight and was blown away. I loved it. Chris Nolan has done it again.

9/10.

 

[Leto Atrides]

Great. Now I'm also wondering if

Spoiler

the drowning Angier was yelling at Borden to stop trying to save him (since the murder is planned every night), or if the Angier template suddenly realized what a horrible death drowning is..

I think it was Angier's intent the whole time to frame Borden, so that was part of the plan. He would struggle so Borden would think it was an accident, and think he was being just wrongfully accused, and not actually framed. He didn't want him to know he (or rather a copy) was still alive yet, not until after Borden was already in jail.

 

[The Watchman]

Borden had a twin brother, why?

Because the canary that died in the beginning had one too

It clicked for me once they talked about the old chinese guy and how he puts on an act even in public. Once I figured it out it became really apparent though the rest of the movie with the trick and women problems.

 

[Anita18]

I think it was Angier's intent the whole time to frame Borden, so that was part of the plan. He would struggle so Borden would think it was an accident, and think he was being just wrongfully accused, and not actually framed. He didn't want him to know he (or rather a copy) was still alive yet, not until after Borden was already in jail.

Ah, that's a good point. He did fabricate the journal bit, and arranged for Borden's daughter to be put under his care. It also explains why the Angier clone didn't complete the prestige of the trick that night.

It's also ironic that Borden himself had a double running around, and if Angier had not ripped up the note, he probably would have realized it as well.

 

[batman11]

Spoiler

Borden put in the journal that he wrote "Tesla" just to send Angier on the wrong track.

Or perhaps he just said he was throwing him off so that Jackman would leave Tesla, with Bale knowing that Jackman was angry that he had not discovered a transporting man trick????? Keeps you thinking eh?

 

[Flexo]

Or perhaps he just said he was throwing him off so that Jackman would leave Tesla, with Bale knowing that Jackman had not discovered a transporting man trick????? Keeps you thinking eh?

No, the way the events played out, I'm fairly certain that Tesla was intended as a wild goose chase.

Why would he even bother giving Angier that good of a hint in the first place? Besides that, Borden would have a hard time figuring when Angier would decipher all of his journal. And if Tesla and Borden had a deal, why would Tesla not know where the hats were? Why would he even give Angier a chance to speak with him?

 

[zer00]

Because Flexo people look for things where none exist. You should understand the hype well enough by now

 

[Prognosticator]

What's the deal?!? $9.6 mil in the second weekend???

Where is everybody? This is a GOOD movie!

Is the problem that it doesn't suck enough? Is that why everyone hasn't gone out to see it??? It's far better than X3 or SR, and I enjoyed it more than POTC...??!?

You gotta be kidding me with TP's two week box office take!

 

[ultimatefan]

What's the deal?!? $9.6 mil in the second weekend???

Where is everybody? This is a GOOD movie!

Is the problem that it doesn't suck enough? Is that why everyone hasn't gone out to see it??? It's far better than X3 or SR, and I enjoyed it more than POTC...??!?

You gotta be kidding me with TP's two week box office take!

Chill out, man. The movie isn´t a blockbuster, but it´s doing very well for itself, especially considering it opened agasint Flags Of Our Fathers, which competes for the same audience and was directed by Clint Eastwood, that The Departed was still playing well and that only a couple months ago the similarly themed The Illusionist did very well. The Prestige dropped only 35% in the second weekend, a very good hold that indicates strong word of mouth. It should make close to 60m, very profitable for a 40m budget movie, and should sell very well on DVD.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Yeah this movie is doing pretty good. It always astonishes me the expectations some people have on here for films.

 

[raybia]

Oh for sure, I agree Borden was a bastard, but I think that even though

Spoiler

Angier was dead there were still a hundred versions of dying, therefore he murdered himself multiple times to gain fame and fortune. With regards to the end and all the tanks, I thought that there was only one tank, how could he make 100 tanks and store them somewhere. I thought that he disposed of the body every night and then used the same tank the next night, but I can see what yor are saying about the multiple tanks. I think that that final version of Angier shown in the final shot was the real Angier, the one that died to let his show live on. So yeah they were both bastards if you think about it, but like you said, I really need to see it again.

But regardless, it was phenomenal!

Spoiler

Thats not the way I interpreted it.

Angier first used the machine to experiement and brought a gun to kill the clone who he thought would be transported across the room. It was clear from when Cutter found a double to portray Angier that he hated not being up on stage to experience the applause as "The Prestige." and resented the double.

So he planned on killing the duplicate during "THE TURN" and he, the original Angiers, would be transported to the balcony as complete "THE PRESTIGE."

However when he first experiemented with the machine, the original Angiers was the one who was transported across the room with the duplicate still standing in the machine. The Duplicate shot the real Angiers as he thought he was the real one. What Angier didn't realize, is that this machine doesn't produce a clone, it produces the original, so that both are the original.

Tesla, when asked by Angiers which hat was his, said, "Alll of them." So from both men's perspective, they were the original.

After that, the 1st clone set up the trick for so that the clone would drown but instead set up his own death.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Goddamn cloning is confusing as hell.

 

[Anita18]

Spoiler

Angier first used the machine to experiement and brought a gun to kill the clone who he thought would be transported across the room. It was clear from when Cutter found a double to portray Angier that he hated not being up on stage to experience the applause as "The Prestige." and resented the double.

The last part was certainly true, but I thought that he

Spoiler

brought the gun to kill himself with if he came out of the experiment horrifically disfigured.

I also thought that he killed the clone every night so he wouldn't have duplicate Angiers to keep track of. Borden is able to keep the twin disguised at all times, but Angier is too selfish, and would want all of the accolade for himself, and he knows this. When there are 50 Angiers, that could get quite complicated, LOL.