10 Huge Mistakes Which Doomed Movie Characters

"Why, haven't good come of your obsessions?"

"Well, at first. But I followed them too long. I'm their slave... and one day they'll choose to destroy me."

An almost flawless offering from Christopher Nolan, 2005's The Prestige chronicles the endless feud between rival stage magicians in Victorian London. Tensions between the pair boil to head over a trick called "The Transported Man". Initially demonstrated by Borden, the trick sees Christian Bale's magician seemingly transport instantaneously between two wardrobe doors on opposite ends of a stage.

Hugh Jackman's Robert Angier eventually surpasses Borden, with his "The Real Transported Man" trick trumping the original in scale and spectacularity. Alfred performs his trick using the assistance of an identical twin with whom he shares Borden's identity. Unaware that Angier now possesses a machine that allows him to replicate the trick, he is completely unable to fathom how his rival has surpassed him.

Regrettably, Alfred's obsession sets up a meeting with the hangman. Angier's machine creates a new version of himself every time the illusion is performed, meaning that one Robert takes the audience's applause while another drowns in a tank below the stage. When Borden sneaks below during a performance, his adversary takes the opportunity to frame him for the murder of the latest drowned version of Angier. One half of "Alfred Borden" subsequently is put to death for the murder of a man still drawing breath. 

Obsession. It's a young man's game.