The reasons I went to see The Prestige, more or less in order:
1. It's set in turn of the century (19th to 20th) London - and it's about stage magicians. Glitz and grime, costumes and conjurations!
2. The promise of cinematic sleight of hand, and the name of Christopher (Memento) Nolan.
3. Scarlett.
(Though of course they can't be taken in isolation - 1 and 2 both carry a lot more weight than 3, but it's that last which tipped me over the line into going and seeing it.)
So: it's pretty good, I got what I expected, and I've no complaints. It looks great, and it's neatly constructed too. Also, it's gripping (bonus!). And it has an unrecognisable (well, I didn't recognise him[*]) Bowie playing Nikola Tesla. But it didn't amaze me...
* * *
[*] Particularly unforgiveable given that just the night before, someone had told me that he was in it; actually, she told me that he was in it and that she completely didn't realise till the end credits, whereupon I plunged right in with a "how could you possibly not recognise David Bowie?" type line...more fool me.
