Chris Nolan's Movies Ranked Worst To Best

6. The Prestige

David Bowie The Prestige
Warner Bros. Pictures

In a tale of magicians and wizards, The Prestige stands out as a prime example of the danger of actual magic being wielded by those with no concept of its power.

Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale play two sides of the same dark coin in this story, both consumed by their obsessions with being the best of the best. Tragedy and horrors abound, with death and destruction overtaking their lives.

David Bowie stands out as the true wizard of the piece, Tesla. The visuals and tension of the piece continue to build until, finally, the terrifying twist (The Prestige, if you will!) sees out the film.

Everyone is on top form here, with the script standing as one of the best in the catalogue. It inspired a slew of imitators but as they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. Sir Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson and Andy Serkis are all in excellent form in supporting roles, but this belongs entirely to the feud and, eventually, hatred between Jackman and Bale - a hatred that destroys lives, no matter the cost.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"