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Reviews
28 Weeks Later (2007)
Tense, explosive sequel more "Aliens" than "Excorsist 2"
"28 Weeks Later" A film review by Brian Murphy With a prime-time budget, a new director, and sans original star Cillian Murphy, "28 Weeks Later," the sequel to the indie smash "28 Days Later," seeks to one-up its predecessor. Shockingly, it succeeds.
"
Weeks" director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo maintains the look of the original's British, neo-zombie film "
Days" and director Danny Boyle's style through stark, washed out cinematography, and hyper-realist, docudrama visuals created by the use of jittery, hand-held cameras.
The sequel also benefits from a more involving story, an intelligent critique of the military (primarily the U.S. military), a seemingly endless horde of zombie extras and more money to spend on CGI effects and explosions.
Not much time elapses before the film launches its first, frightening, hyper attack. After a recent outbreak of a "rage virus" in London and its surrounding areas, carriers, who are eager to beat and bite common citizens, are infecting the inhabitants at an exponential rate.
Barricading themselves in a country house, a small group of survivors, including a married couple played by Catherine McCormack and Robert Carlyle (who starred in Danny Boyle's "Trainspotting"). After initially defending his wife from a gang of invading zombies, Don (Carlyle) leaves her for dead, escaping by a boat as she stares out a window in disbelief as he runs away. How's that for a complicated protagonist? Fast-forward roughly 28 weeks later to a U.S.-led, U.N.-coordinated reconstruction of London, after the contained zombies have starved to death. Within the protected "green zone"(sound familiar?), snipers peep into local high rises, scientists probe returning citizens, and Don's children, Tammy (penetrating-eyed Imogen Poots) and Andy (the "Harry Potter" sounding Mackintosh Muggleton) come home to their father and a strange new militaristic world.
Danny Boyle had creatively, tightly shot a city seemingly devoid of life, but Mr. Fresnadillo takes it a step further, by having either shut down several blocks of London at a time, or by having employed the mass use of CGI. Either way, his endless high-angle long shots of downtown London depict mass areas bereft of life. The experience then, of these returning citizens, is like the discovery of a new world.
Don's lies to his children concerning the "death" of their mother are soon rebuked after his children escape the green zone to return to their house to gather their belongings. The military captures them, along with their still living but infected mother. Her body's rejection of the virus garners the attention of compassionate military doctor, Scarlet (Rose Byrne of "The Dead Girl"), who makes every effort to protect the mother and her children.
When an anguished Don sneaks in to apologize to his wife, things, as they tend to do in horror films, go very, very wrong.
In this film, chaos and terror go hand in hand, and both are effectively generated in an instant. The deterioration of the military complex takes mere minutes of screen time. The outbreak abruptly erupts, and the soldiers turn from protectors to murderers in the blink of a an eye.
The guitar-heavy, electro-tinged score effectively frays our nerves to further heighten the tension of an inherently tense movie.
Poots and Muggleton are fine young actors who convincingly portray a brother and sister looking to protect one another from the ensuing chaos. The script allows ample time for the two to form a palpable, on-screen bond while the pair dodges both zombies and military personnel.
Disregard the dodgy ending, it was clearly created solely to set up a sequel, and you've got yourself a taut, well-acted and well thought out horror film, comparable to Romero's "Land of the Dead."
The Namesake (2006)
Absorbing tale of culture and passion
"The Namesake," Jhumpa Lahiri's 2004 novel chronicling the American assimilation of two generations of an immigrant Indian family, is a powerful tale deserved of the big-screen treatment. Sooni Taraporevala's compelling screenplay, combined with acclaimed director Mira Nair's ("Monsoon Wedding") delicate, detailed handling of the material leads to three-fourths of a great film.
The last quarter of the film suffers from pacing issues, as a little too much of the novel's material was crammed into the 122 minute running time. Ms. Nair could have benefited from either cutting some of the material, or by extending it. Scenes towards the end of the film are not allowed ample time to breathe, and the brevity saps the emotional weight from the story and the performances.
Beginning in the early 1970's "The Namesake" follows the lives of Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu). Their arranged marriage tears Ashima from her family, uproots her from her Calcutta home and transplants her in New York with her new husband, who is still a stranger to her.
Ashoke and Ashima's struggle to coexist is both heartbreaking and, eventually, heartwarming. Mr. Khan and Tabu are exceptional actors, and their performances here are at the pinnacle of their professions. Accompanied by Ms. Nair's deft direction, without the need for extraneous dialogue, we feel their love for one another grow through subtle actions. Ashoke, still scarred by a tragic incident, awakes from a nightmare only to be brought back to sleep by Ashima gently stroking his head.
The two slowly immerse themselves into American culture. Ashoke furthers his career while Ashima must learn everything else, such as going to the laundry mat for the first time. They have a son and a daughter, who also must learn to deal with being minorities.
The casting director either took a leap of faith by casting Kal Penn as Gogol, Ashoke and Ashima's son, or they wanted a recognizable commodity. Mr. Penn, known primarily for his roles is slacker comedies ("Van Wilder," "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle"), could have been a bust in such a serious role, but he is adequate, and the story helps by playing to his strengths-Gogol gets high, hangs out with his friends, and jams out to Pearl Jam's "Once" midway through the film.
Ashoke struggles to identify with Gogol, who begins to shun his parents and his culture, dates a white girl (Jacinda Barrett) and wishes to change his first name to something less foreign- sounding.
A vacation to India to see their relatives helps. Gogol decides to become an architect after visiting the Taj Mahal. However, back in America, his distance from his family grows until a tragedy occurs that is more than likely to elicit a tear or two.
After the tragedy, the editing becomes a little heavy handed, the cutting too quick, the scenes fly by and the story advances a bit too fast. However, in the end, the overall achievement is a powerful and dramatic film that is important for Americans of all generations of immigrants to see.
Wild Hogs (2007)
I'll never get those 100 nauseating minutes of my life back
"Wild Hogs" is "City Slickers" on motorcycles-if "City Slickers" was deprived of fine ensemble acting, devoid of a palpable bond between its male leads and reduced to lowbrow, slapstick humor to elicit some cheap laughs. It is the waste that is created when producers serve up a shallow script, with proved box office superstars and a formulaic (see "idiotic") plot, and, time and time again, receive mass consumption.
Box-office money makers Tim Allen (as Doug, the aging dentist), John Travolta (as Woody, the aging playboy whose wife has just left him), Martin Lawrence (Bobby, the henpecked husband), and respected actor William H. Macy (Dudley, the geeky tech guy) form middle aged, suburbanite motorcycle "gang" Wild Hogs.
A combination of nagging wives, disrespectful sons, empty bank accounts, and midlife crises light a fire under the sagging behinds of our protagonists, prompting them to embark on a cross-country road trip.
One of the few things uninspired director Walt Becker ("Van Wilder") gets right is the soundtrack, featuring classic rock anthems ("Slow Ride," "Who Do You Love?") and hard rock/metal gems from AC/DC and White Zombie. Unfortunately, his persistent use of Teddy Castellucci's nauseating score is maddening.
Is Doug sad? Why, yes-just listen to the sad violin. Thanks, Teddy.
Aside from Mr. Macy, the cast is underwhelming. Mr. Lawrence's character is a pushover, Tim Allen looks like he showed up to collect his paycheck, and Mr. Travolta should be ashamed. For Travolta's sake, I hope Quentin Tarantino never glimpses his cringe worthy jaunt to Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative." Quentin might think twice before trying to jump-start Vinnie Barbarino's career for a second time.
By the time the Wild Hogs run afoul of a real motorcycle gang, led by Ray Liotta, is there anyone out there who is unsure whether the heroes will cure their ills, long for their families, find a new love and save the day? I'll ruin it to save you the 99 minutes of your life you would have otherwise lost-yes to all of the above.
Furthermore, the running gag of the film-homophobic jokes-are staler than the actors. John C. McGinley has ruined all his brilliant work on NBC's "Scrubs" by his appearance here as a gay, borderline psychotic policeman.
All negativity aside, William H. Macy saves the film (barely) with his dorky but likable Dudley. He, along with a hilarious cameo by Kyle Gass (of Tenacious D fame) as an overzealous carnival-karaoke singer, help trim some of the fat off of the otherwise inedible "Hogs."
Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia (2006)
Flower blooms but not as bright as Yimou's previous works
"Curse of the Golden Flower" A film review by Brian Murphy
"Man Cheng jin dai huang jin jia," or "Curse of the Golden Flower," writer/director Zhang Yimou's latest epic dissecting the dynasties of ancient China, is a powerful film that stubbornly refuses to end. The film examines the psyche of the Imperial Family during the Tang dynasty: Their loyalties/disloyalties towards one another, forbidden love affairs, Shakespearian murder plots and the families' resolve or disintegration during a time of rebellion.
Mr. Yimou explores characters, story lines and thematic elements similar to his past films. The royal family is headed by the unsympathetic Emperor Ping (Chow Yun-Fat); a stoic, sometimes brutal patriarch who is comparable to the King of Qin in Yimou's masterpiece, "Hero." He has married the honorable Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) to gain the throne, and her defiance of him is proof that theirs is not a marriage of love. Of their three sons, Prince Jie (Chou Jay) and Prince Cheng (Junjie Qin) are completely biological, while Crown Prince Xiang (Liu Ye), the next in line for the crown, was the product of the Emperor and his first wife, a common woman. Xiang has formed two secret love affairs, one with servant girl named Chan Jiang, and the other is with his stepmother, the Empress. Mr. Yimou has explored forbidden love affairs before, in "House of Flying Daggers." Suspecting that her husband is slowly poisoning her to death, Empress Phoenix has decided to enact revenge upon her devious husband, planning a rebellion for the Chrysanthemum Festival (hence the title of the film). If you thought the band of misfits from "Little Miss Sunshine" were a dysfunctional family, wait until you get a load of the Imperial Family. While rich in cinematography, bursting with color, flowing with passion and glorious with set construction (the Imperial Kingdom is stunning), the story plays like a Greek tragedy, along the lines of "Oedipus Rex." With a shocking conclusion that echoes Chan-Wook Park's devastating "Oldboy," and, sadly, the cheesy 80's comedy "My Chauffeur," the tone of the film ranges from stoic reverence to seething anger, so there is no room between the palace walls for an uplifting ending. Mr. Yimou is a brilliant storyteller and director, and he seamlessly blends scenes that display the rich tradition of servants and masters, tender moments of mother and son, and the passion of lovers, yet somehow manages to depict violence, warriors and assassins with the same, cautious eye. A scene involving lovers Xiang and Chang quickly transforms to a violent assassination attempt by ninjas who gracefully glide from the mountains before inflicting their malevolence. Despite his artistic gifts, and perhaps in spite of them, Mr. Yimou constantly wrestles with a timely ending to most of his films. Like Peter Jackson's "The Return of the King," the climax of "Curse of the Golden Flower" is a prime example of a great director exercising his demons by defiantly refusing to kill his film when it needs to die. The result is a heavy-handed, overwrought conclusion that sucks some of the weight from what had preceded it. The dynamic of the mother-son/daughter-son relationship is not further enhanced by extending the increasingly ludicrous battle near the film's end, nor is the symbolic language strengthened by the repeated hammering of it into our skulls during and after said battle. Mr. Yimou has created a mythic world out of an actual one, deftly commanding his actors and receiving emotional performances, in return. When he learns to be more concise, he will truly be among the most prolific directors in the world.
The Dead Girl (2006)
Dark comment on the hidden strength of women
"The Dead Girl" A film review by Brian Murphy "The Dead Girl," writer/director Karen Moncrieff's (a former television actress and director) penetrating new film, connects five women affected by the death of a young woman (Brittany Murphy). The film, split up into five chapters, reads like a book, with each chapter examining the changes in their lives brought about by the brutal murder of someone most of them have never met.
"The Stranger," "The Sister," "The Wife," "The Mother" and "The Dead Girl" comprise a fascinating, multiple character study of abused, confused and repressed women. The murdered woman winds up being an altruistic, sacrificial lamb that alters the course of others for better and for worse.
Ms. Moncrieff has assembled a stellar cast. Toni Collette ("Little Miss Sunshine") shines as Arden, an emotionally bruised daughter, isolated from society by her abusive, invalid mother. After discovering the corpse of a young woman, her world is turned upside down; the media hounds her, she is romantically pursued by a creepy grocery clerk (the underrated Giovanni Ribisi), and she rebels against her passive nature, lashing out at a mother (Piper Laurie) who, referring to her deceased brother, remarks, "He (God) should have taken you instead!" Rose Byrne is phenomenal as Leah, a young woman desperately searching for a way to put the 15-year disappearance of her sister to rest. While her mother (Mary Steenburgen) still posts age-enhanced pictures of her daughter, desperately hoping for her return, Leah wishes for her family to accept the fact that her sister must be dead, in order for them all to move on. Her occupation as a coroner perfectly corresponds to her character. When she comes across the corpse that Arden discovered, she immediately finds a birthmark similar to that of her sister. Finally feeling the closure she has been seeking, Leah embarks on a life separate from work and her therapist's office. She responds to the advances of slightly creepy coworker Derek (James Franco of "Spiderman"), and has sex in a scene Ms. Moncrieff deftly designed to express release.
Mary Beth Hurt (as Ruth,) and Marcia Gay Harden ("Pollock,") present two antithetical characters seeking redemption for, perhaps, their denial. Ruth, a religious, forgotten wife, believes her despondent husband may be a serial killer, while Harden's Melora is the mother of a woman possibly murdered by Ruth's husband. Ultimately, their choices define them. Ruth chooses to remain in denial, while Melora seeks the cause of her daughter's decision to run away. In the end, one is lost and haunted, while the other earns redemption.
Not to be forgotten, Brittany Murphy ("8 Mile"), as Krista (a.k.a. "The Dead Girl") gives a spectacular performance that serves as the essential footnote to Moncrieff's film. Murphy delivers as a junkie prostitute who, despite her troubled past, is still a loving mother.
Karen Moncrieff's script may have difficulty appealing to a mass male audience. Her script is gender-centric, studying the growth or regression of several female leads. The few male characters involved are either initially or ultimately presented as unsympathetic, withdrawn, or potential sources of violence. This does not exclude children, like the young boy who punches his sister in the arm. Men are not definitively portrayed as evil, but the film does cast a wary glare in their direction.
However, Ms. Moncrieff's writing is insightful, and her direction is expressive. She uses a myriad of close-ups to showcase the talents of her fine ensemble cast and also to express a claustrophobic tone-Her women are often emotionally stunted, cornered by men, or voluntarily succumb to their own fears. Their transitions define this empathetic yet brutally honest film.
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
Brilliant fairy tale not for kids
"Pan's Labyrinth" "Pan's Labyrinth" is a fairy tale film for adults, an astounding visual feast that is as gorgeous as it is gory. Do not be deceived by the fairies, castles and the presence of a little girl as the main protagonist, graphic violence is everywhere, from scenes of war, grizzly torture (though, to be honest, probably not much worse than what is shown on "24") and genuinely frightening fantasy moments.
Having done my duty for the MPAA, I am now compelled to discuss the devastating brilliance of writer/director Guillermo del Toro's film ("El Laberinto del Fauno," in Spanish). Known for his work on acclaimed horror/fantasy films ("Cronos," "Hellboy"), del Toro uses "Pan's Labyrinth" to examine the effects on a child living in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, a conflict and concept he has alluded to before, in "The Devil's Backbone." Like M. Night Shyamalan, Mr. del Toro has a gift for extracting emotional depth from young performers, and Ivana Baquero's turn as little Ofelia is no exception. We meet her on a journey through the woods, traveling with her mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil) on their way to her new father's estate (Sergi Lopez as army Capitan Vidal).
Still suffering from the trauma of her biological father's death, and the fear of her new home and father, Ofelia has found escape in books. However, when she uncovers an insect that turns into a fairy, del Toro and his visual effects crew will leave you blinking in amazement. Ofelia is lead to a labyrinth of rocks behind Capitan Vidal's estate, where she embarks on a quest that will, hopefully, lead her to a castle where she will become a princess.
While Capitan Vidal hunts down and tortures rebels hiding in the woods, and her mother battles a difficult pregnancy, Ofelia is left to complete tasks designed by a faun named Pan. The story never grants us the knowledge of whether or not Ofelia's creatures and tasks are real, so we are left to infer as to their validity.
The omnipresent gloom of war leads to a vital plot shift involving rebels and Capitan Vidal's servant, Mercedes (Maribel Verdu in an outstanding performance), who has become a surrogate mother to Ofelia while also secretly helping the rebels. We see the horror of Capitan Vidal's violence, and the depths of his black soul. Sergi Lopez's performance is powerfully chilling.
Ofelia's tasks take her to mystical places, from the inside of a large tree to uncover a key hidden in a toad's belly, to a frightening encounter with a child eating creature with eyes on his hands. Mr. del Toro's vision is laudably brought to life through stunning audio and visual effects, intricate set pieces and brilliantly constructed costumes.
The tragedies mount for poor Ofelia as her quest goes astray, and Capitan Vidal's rage becomes increasingly uncontrolled as the film nears a brutal conclusion.
Wisely, the film grants us the freedom to draw our own conclusions at the end. Those hardened by the harsh cruelties of human nature may be saddened, but those who still hope for a better world will leave the theater believing in magic.
The Fountain (2006)
With death breathes life
"The Fountain" A film review by Brian Murphy Evanston RoundTable
I am unaware as to whether or not Darren Aronofsky has obsessive-compulsive disorder, but the characters and themes in his films certainly reflect this trait. The brilliant writer/director has explored the disturbing obsession of a mathematical genius ("Pi"), the horrifying compulsions of drug addicts ("Requiem for a Dream") and now the ceaseless quest of man who, during the course of a thousand years, seeks a cure for death so he can be with his loved one forever.
With "The Fountain," Mr. Aronofsky has created a stunning visual and thematic tapestry. Three separate yet interconnecting stories and time-lines are expressed with such skill that they become one ongoing saga. Hugh Jackman ("The Illusionist") and Oscar winner Rachel Weisz ("The Constant Gardener") play two star-crossed lovers torn apart by death. Mr. Jackman is a volcano of erupting emotion, while Ms. Weisz is almost Zen-like in her dual, terminal roles. Both are exceptional in their performances. In Spain, 1500 A.D., Weisz is Isabel, a Queen desperately trying to survive the Spanish Inquisition. As a last resort, she sends her loyal Conquistador, Tomas (Jackman), to "New Spain" (Guatemala) on a quest to find the Mayan-protected Tree of Life, the same one referred to in Genesis that gives eternal life. She gives him a ring and makes him promise to return so that they can rule and live together forever.
In America, 2000 A.D., Jackman is Tom Creo, a doctor whose cancer treatment experiments are vastly improved when he uses a root found in Guatemala to cure lab monkey Donovan's brain tumor. His obsession to find a cure as quickly as possible spreads as wife Izzi's (Weisz) health begins to rapidly deteriorate from her own brain tumor. Forgoing his chance to spend time with his beloved during her last days, Tom chooses to try and conquer death, instead.
In outer space, 2500 A.D., Tommy (you guessed it-Jackman) floats and meditates in a nebula, finally reaching the snow globe-like orb that contains the tree of life, greeting welcome memories of Izzi/Isabel, and desperately fighting off bad memories, like his failed promise, or even more disheartening to Tommy- listening to Izzi try to explain things like death leads to creation, death will bring them together, or that she is no longer afraid of dying. To Tommy, by definition, the only way to be immortal is to live forever.
To separate the three tales, as I have just done, does the film a grave injustice. It is Aronofsky's artful direction that blends this tale into a fascinating work. His use of symbolism not only recalls archetypes (dagger and pen), but is also used as a bridge between stories and time-lines. Perhaps the painting in present day Tom's home, of a Mayan temple that just happens to be the same one he entered, as a Conquistador, comes off more as a wink than an epiphany, but fans of a certain auteur (and Aronofsky has earned the right to garner that title) often indulge the artist, such as Hitchcock making cameos in so many of his films. He forever bathes the mise en scene in gold-both objects and lighting-creating a warm and ethereal tone. Implausibly, the film may somehow manage to peak the interests of both a religious and an existentialist audience. The topic of death and the afterlife (or lack thereof) sets off an engaging quandary for our characters to either accept or conquer. Will it lead them to the same place?
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Borat Great Success!
"Borat!: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" Brian Murphy-Evanston RoundTable. Sacha Baron Cohen, the London-born, Cambridge--educated comedian responsible for the brazenly funny "Da Ali G Show," has made a career embodying clueless characters. His trio of journalist incarnations, including hip-hop wannabe Ali G, flamboyantly gay fashion correspondent Bruno, and naïve, Kazak reporter Borat Sagdiyev, through their shockingly candid questions and bizarre behavior, rile the tempers and wrest the unholy truths from their unwitting subjects. With "Borat!..," Cohen has created the funniest, creatively offensive film of the year, and the most intelligent "dumb" film since "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut." The film blends the line between reality and fiction, documentary and scripted action. While Cohen's guerilla-style interviews remain intact, they are weaved together by a fictional story involving the Kazak government sending Borat and his television producer, Azamat Bagatov (Ken Davatian) on a trip to the United States to learn from the superpower.
Kazakhstan is presented in the film as a depressed, backwards country, which led to calls for boycotts from its citizens and the government. After watching the first five minutes of the film, it is easy to see why the moderate, western-leaning country had issues with Cohen's characterizations.
We are first introduced to Borat in his small village, preparing to depart for America. He speaks with affection concerning his town while pointing out its problems. Along the way, we meet his sneering neighbor, mother, ill-tempered wife, and after the two engage in a deep kiss, his sister. He introduces us to local Kazak ceremonies, such as "The Running of the Jew 2004" (an event fabricated by the Jewish Cohen for satirical purposes), which is as funny as it is intentionally offensive.
The film takes off when Borat and Azamat reach America, traveling the country in an ice cream truck, a live bear riding shotgun (seriously), seeking advice from true Americans on their way to Los Angeles. Borat, having fallen in love with Pamela Anderson after seeing an episode of "Baywatch" in his hotel room, hopes to marry the star and bring her back to Kazakhstan.
Without giving away any of the gags, Borat terrorizes (with irony, not WMD's, mind you) a humor coach, a driving instructor, rodeo attendants, elitist guests at a dinner party, mortgage brokers at a hotel conference, security guards, and pretty much any one he tries to greet by giving a kiss on the cheek. Inconceivably, Pamela Anderson makes an uncredited cameo at the film's end, and whether the conclusion was real or staged remains to be seen (I vote for the latter).
Despite his sexism, bigotry and anti-Semitism, when put up against Americans who are not in on the joke, Borat miraculously escapes as a sympathetic character. His ignorance is played by Cohen as an almost childlike innocence, and his joyful exuberance is infectious. Furthermore, we realize Borat's idiocy is an act. Sadly, the same cannot be said about the disturbing array of homophobic southerners, racist Americans and misogynistic frat boys he meets along the way.
Doubters of Cohen's relevance can look to Cannes, among the dozens of other prestigious film festivals, who have championed the film at first screening. Doubters of Cohen's talents and/or dedication to his craft can look to his talk show promotions and film screenings, both of which Cohen has refused to attend other than in full-on Borat method mode. He is like Andy Kaufman with a punch line. And, much like the legendary comedian, he refuses to pull punches, infuriating those he involves for our amusement.
The Prestige (2006)
The Intrigue of "The Prestige"
"The Prestige" by Brian Murphy
"The Prestige," a Victorian-era set film about dueling magicians, is much darker than "The Illusionist," the recently released magician film starring Ed Norton. It is a startling, sometimes violent study of rivalry, jealousy and obsession. Deftly directed and sharply written (along with his brother Jonathan Nolan) by Christopher Nolan ("Memento," "Batman Begins"), the story follows the lives of friends-turned-rivals Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale). Their unrelenting quest to be the best has profound effects on their entire adult life. "The Prestige" hooks us right away, with an intriguing shot of a hill littered with top hats. Without explanation, the multi-narrated film begins its first voice over as trick contraption designer Cutter (Michael Caine, terrific again) describes the three stages of a magic trick: The pledge, the turn and the prestige. The devious Nolan brothers have crafted their story to play out with a magic trick, setting out to trick us at the film's end. Despite some meandering scenes and revenge plots that may eventually seem repetitive, when the final surprise is finally sprung, the effect is chilling, whether we have guessed the outcome correctly or not. Narrative structure is bent, as past, present and future become a multi-layered collage that Christopher Nolan expresses with stunning clarity. Whatever points in Robert's or Alfred's lives are given screen time are distinguished with ease, whereas a lesser director would have muddled them. Robert and Alfred, apprentices working for the same magician. Despite a cordial rapport, both seem to have different ideas about what makes a good magic trick, with Alfred always seeming to have the idea of pushing things further. After ignoring Cutter's advice for how to tie a knot proper for Magician Assistant Julia, the woman dies in a water tank, and Alfred is responsible. Julia was Robert's wife, thus spawning the heated, perhaps even murderous rivalry that is to comprise the rest of the film. The Nolan Brothers have done their research, dissecting several, intricate magic tricks and revealing them to the audience. From the "Bullet Catch" to the "Disappearing Man," all angles are dispelled, and Robert and Alfred stop at nothing to sabotage their enemy from completing either trick. Even the bit players offer some spice, such as Scarlett Johansson as Robert's assistant Olivia, who may or may not be playing one side against the other. Rebecca Hall is outstanding as Alfred's wife, Sarah, her performance reminiscent of some of the outstanding, tough performances given by many of the women on HBO's "Deadwood." Sarah's feelings towards Alfred begin with intrigue, melt into love, and almost slip into madness trying to understand Alfred's split personalities-loving husband one day, obsessed magician the next. The lines in this film are as shadowy as Wally Pfister's cinematography, where our allegiance is deliberately forced to shift from one magician to the next, a testament to both good writing, and to the outstanding performances of Mr. Bale and Mr. Jackman. Both characters are, at times, valiant heroes and vile villains. Like "Memento," picking apart the plot of "The Prestige" may uncover some holes, but the overall effect is an exhilarating whirlwind of mystery, suspense and shocking revelations that are bound to have audience members discussing motives and theories long after the credits have stopped rolling.