15 Fascinating Premises That Were Bigger Than The Movies Themselves

9. The Prestige

The Premise: Two magicians battle each other for trade secrets; the rivalry escalates, turning them into murderers. If reuniting Michael Caine, Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan wasn't enough to make you watch The Prestige, then the plot definitely made the film unmissable. The idea of magicians locked in an epic war is a delicious one, not least because of the mystery associated with the art form; The Prestige is so engaging though because it uncovers magic tricks, still leaves an air of enigma and deals with human relationship above the charade of the tricks. The premise only hints at that, but rather like a magic trick, it offers a tantalising mystery that the film attempts to resolve. And if that still doesn't tempt you just a tiny bit, David Bowie plays Nikola Tesla in it. Go on, watch it: you know you want to.