What an entrancing delight! I came into the theater with low expectations, but walked out with more satisfaction than my $10 deserved! Here's a must-see film, about magician entertainers in their struggle for power. Throughout the movie, I was excited, worried, confused, and simply spellbound as these performers constantly worked to outdo each other and become the best in London. It's hard to not to give away some of the important plot without telling the whole story, because twists and turns, and illusions will lead you down a path that only the last five minutes can make sense of. Set during the late 1800s / early 1900s in Victorian London, England, the plot is fairly unclear, as the movie jumps around and sets up for the bang. During this industrial time when science and technology was all the hype, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) still specialize in tapping into the human imagination, performing illusions that must continue to impress the increasingly bored society. Magic has become their obsession, and a considerable rivalry has grown between the two. Now, what was once a simple competition to outdo the other has turned into a ferocious fight to dominate the audience. The backstabbing is at an all time high, and you'll have to see it to believe it! Another enjoyable feature of this movie was the ability to lace little pieces of history into the plot. In the quest to become the greatest magician, the characters bring us to Nikolas Tesla (David Bowie) and his odd little assistant, Alley (Andy Serkis). Also, I really appreciated the strong performance by Michael Caine as the employee that thinks of new tricks for Angier. Caine is an amazing actor, and I'm glad he was able to make an appearance in this film. Ultimately, by seeing this movie, you will be scared, confused, and dazzled, but not robbed of your money/time. See this today!
