QUOTE(BurgaFlippinMan @ Apr 30 2008, 01:36 PM)
I don't see what the big deal is about The Prestige. It suffers from the same thing The Usual Suspects does, there isn't much meat to the whole movie. Its hollow. Yes, like Usual Suspects, the male leads turn in magnetic performances and like Usual Suspects, it never gets boring. That alone makes it worth one viewing for entertainment. But beyond that, there's nothing more to it. The characters aren't really developed, and the actors are doing what they can with sparse material. It starts off interesting in the way that the whole movie is an illusion, but Ebert got it right with his critique, its a cheat. Its like going to a magic trick where "the whole woman produced on the stage were not the same one so unfortunately cut in two." This brings me to another chink in Nolan's armor, his seeming inability to give us characters we can empathize with. He always gives us interesting characters no doubt, but they are always distant and cold to the audience, making it difficult to connect emotionally with his films.
Now, this isn't a bash Nolan thread, I look forward to his films but there are just aspects of his films which always leave me slightly disappointed.
I think in a way you've nailed it partially right. The problem I find with Memento and The Prestige is that the 2nd viewing doesn't feel more superior than the 1st, which in my standards is not a great film, BUT the 1st time experience was truly magical (no one can deny that).
I've always been a believer that good movies grows in you, e.g The Godfather and even films like Fight Club, Mulholland Dr (of the mindf*ck genre). Nolan's films on the other hand, are less impressive on successive viewings. His only movie that'll continue to mesmerize is in fact his lesser known debut Following, which is an awesome flick with the most shoe string budget. It's original, tight and concise. You should watch it if you haven't.
I actually like The Prestige very much. The entire trickery/illusion/cheat whatever you may call, it was superb. You could see a twist coming but it still gets you. I think for a young man like Nolan to have produced films like The Prestige and Memento, already makes him one of the best directors TODAY. There're ain't many films that astound you with the first serving but Nolan's did, and very well too. Whatever the man may lack, I'm sure he'll get it right in the future.
Seriously, cut him some slack.
Apr 29 2008, 05:49 PM
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but Nolan does have the talent, i believe he'll do wonders in the future.
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