vs.
-"Illusion Michael, a trick is something a whore does for money...or candy." -Gob from Arrested Development
The Prestige
*WARNING MAY EVENTUALLY CONTAIN SPOILERS IN DISCUSSION *
Summary- A friendship between two magicians becomes a bitter rivalry after a tragic accident. The rivalry becomes increasingly more deadly as each magician, bent on ambition and revenge, attempts to outdo the the other one’s tricks.
Review- Based off a novel, this movie is amazing for so many reasons. First of all there’s great acting (I mean how can it now when it stars Batman, Wolverine, Alfred, and Scarlett Johansson?). But the story is even more amazing than the actors, although a bit confusing. Even though it’s about magicians, don’t think it’s a child movie. It’s very dark and focuses on the ambition and vengeful feelings of men and how far they can push it. It is absolutely shocking and amazing watching both magicians try to be the best that they can be at the expense of losing their morality and their loved ones. However, this movie is also slightly science-fictional and parts of the movie are clearly unrealistic and fake. But even the unrealistic parts of the story play an integral part to the story telling, because the whole story is told as if it’s a magic trick. It presents you with a seemingly straightforward story, then it brings some magical/fantastical elements into it to distract your attention, and when the twist is revealed at the end, you wonder why Christopher Nolan (director) didn’t become a magician instead.
Recommendations- Recommended movies may not share similar story elements or movie techniques with the reviewed movies. They are simply personal opinions that I think will give a good indication on if you will enjoy the reviewed movie. If you want to add or want me to remove a recommendation, please reply below with the movie name and reason.
The Illusionist
The Sixth Sense
The Orphanage
The Usual Suspects
The Illusionist
*WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SIXTH SENSE*
*WARNING MAY EVENTUALLY CONTAIN SPOILERS IN DISCUSSION *
Summary- And illusionist falls in love with a childhood lover who is above his social standing (in fact she became engaged to a Crown Prince). He then attempts to free her from her engagement and prove his love to her.
Review- This movie wasn’t bad, but nothing spectacular either. I like Edward Norton, but I’m not a big fan of Jessica Biel. The acting was pretty good, but the story wasn’t as strong. For one thing, when a good movie has a twist at the end, you should be able to pick up on hints throughout the movie that lead up to the twist. This is not the case with this movie, the twist is simply an extension of earlier movie scenes that the audience could not have possibly guessed. I don’t want to be too harsh, there were one or two tiny hints, but overall, the twist seemed to have been simply added in for novelty rather than being integral to the story (For example of a great twist, in Sixth Sense, Bruce Willis is clearly dead because everyone ignores him, except for the one kid who can see dead people). Another thing that annoyed me is the use of CGI when Eisenheim does his illusions (it seems to ruin the magic when you use computer technology to do the tricks). The story about two forbidden lovers is also a bit cliché. It’s not a bad movie though, entertaining, but once again nothing amazing.
Recommendations- Recommended movies may not share similar story elements or movie techniques with the reviewed movies. They are simply personal opinions that I think will give a good indication on if you will enjoy the reviewed movie. If you want to add or want me to remove a recommendation, please reply below with the movie name and reason.
The Prestige
The Sixth Sense
The Usual Suspects
Verdict: Which Movie I Prefer-
Although these two movies came out at the same time and both share similar aspects, they are actually very different movies. The Prestige is a story about vengeance and ambition, while The Illusionist is a story about forbidden love and the rise of the under-dog. In my opinion the Prestige wins hands down. It has a better twist (with more clues throughout the movie), better acting (although the acting in Illusionist is pretty good too), and a much more unique story. The fact that the whole movie is structured like a magic trick in the Prestige shows how much thought and effort was put into the film. Lastly, another difference is that the Prestige is about magicians, and most of the magic tricks in the movie are realistic and actually done by the actors. In the Illusionist, Eisenheim is an illusionist and a lot of his illusions are done by CGI. If you want to watch one of these for the magic/illusions I’d suggest The Prestige because the tricks are more realistic and almost all the secrets to the tricks performed are revealed and explained. But yes, The Prestige also has some CGI, and one trick especially requires a suspense of realism. In conclusion, I think The Prestige is a better overall movie, but it may be too dark for some people’s tastes. If you like love stories and one where the underdog wins, definitely check out The Illusionist. The story, although not as strong in my opinion, definitely is simpler and easier to take in. Otherwise, I think The Prestige has a much stronger narration and story and the dark topics relate to us all. Agree or disagree? If you’ve seen both movies feel free to reply with your opinions
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