From the previews and trailers from the film The Prestige, I really expected something quite different. This movie is adapted from a novel that was written by one of the very best comic book authors around, Christopher Priest. For the most part I rather enjoyed the movie due to the dark nature of many of the characters throughout it. The actors chosen for the film were perfect for their individual roles.

The setting for the movie is England during the Victorian period and it revolves around the world of professionals and the magic they perform on stage. Two emerging magicians end up at odds with each other and they go to great lengths to cause havoc for each other. These aren’t your simple everyday pranks though. Things go much further with espionage, disfigurement, and murder. I really don’t want to say too much about the details here because the movie is too suspenseful and I don’t want to ruin the experience for you.

I was somewhat disappointed though that I was able to figure out much of the movie before it was even half way over. It was also confusing at times with three different story lines going on. In the defense of the movie though they all feel together neatly at the end. I was disappointed though by the lack of magic used in the movie. I am really interested in that area and would have liked to see more insight to it. That would have made a nice bonus feature as well for the Blu-Ray.

I think the director, Christopher Nolan, did an excellent job of bringing the story from the novel to life with this film. The use of flashbacks, framing, and misleading the audience at times work very well. It flowed in a way that didn’t make the viewer stop and question the transition from one story back to the next. Many films end up being confusing when they try to use too many of these techniques but Nolan definitely has the knack for it.

The scenery for the movie was breathtaking. For anyone who hasn’t seen the movie on Blu-Ray you are really missing out. The Prestige DVD just doesn’t do justice to the Victorian Period or the beautiful mountains of Colorado. I was somewhat disappointed that the Blu-Ray Edition only offers two bonus features. I expected more due to the amount of buzz this movie created.

The first bonus is short, only about 20 minutes, but it is a good one for those who are a fan of Christopher Nolan. This is a short documentary from the director himself about the insight he had for the film. The second bonus offers beautiful art and a look at London England up close.

Overall, I think the Prestige Blu-Ray Edition is a must see film for anyone who likes a good puzzle to solve. There are many suspenseful scenes as well as soon gory action scenes that will have you peeking at the movie through your fingers. Things do move at a good pace so pay attention to what is taking place. You will likely want to watch it again to pick up on all the things you missed once you view the ending.

This is because the movie seems complicated somewhat as you watch it. Ironically though the movie is about professional magicians where everything is an illusion. You too will get the feeling that plenty you saw or didn’t see in the movie was noting more than illusions. As the line in early part of the movie says “Are you watching closely?”