"The Prestige": A masterpiece that questions Christopher Nolan's true "achievement"

A competition between unique and eccentric magicians

In the middle of the story, the story shifts to a battle to see who can teleport. Borden immediately sees through the tricks of Anger's trick. However, Anger is unable to see through Borden's tricks. After much anguish, rather than expose Borden's tricks, Anger turns to inventor Nikola Tesla to create a teleportation trick that will surpass Borden's. Tesla then tries to create a magic device that will surpass Anger's imagination...

Angier and Borden are fictional characters, but Tesla was a real scientist and inventor. To set the tone of the story, Nolan tried to portray Tesla as an unrealistic character. The person chosen for the role was the late charismatic musician David Bowie. Nolan was a big fan of film director Nicolas Roeg and wanted Bowie, who played an alien in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). At that time, Bowie was on hiatus from both his artistic and acting careers, and he was not keen on Nolan's offer. Nevertheless, his earnest persuasion paid off. Bowie's Tesla exudes an otherworldly, in a sense, like another magician.

"The Prestige" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

Anyway, with the help of Tesla's revolutionary technology, Anger performs a flawless teleportation trick. Borden has been able to see through all of Anger's tricks up until now, but he can't see through this one no matter how many times he watches it. This is revealed at the climax of the movie, and the secret behind Borden's teleportation trick is also revealed. Please watch the movie and be amazed.

The film also features a man named Cutter, who is the mentor of Anger and Borden and who, after retiring from magic, has been creating stage tricks. He is played by Michael Caine, a regular in Nolan's films. He calmly watches the angry and mad Angier and Borden fight, but at the same time, he tells the audience The Truth, not tricks. Caine plays this character with the dignity of a veteran.

The art of misleading storytelling through the human weakness of ego