Victorian London. A devastating accident during an act tears apart the friendship of talented magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) – a suave aristocratic showman – and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) – a charismatic working-class trickster. Now sparring magicians vying to deliver the most spectacular trick ever conjured, events spiral following Borden’s game-changing illusion of ‘The Transported Man’.
A fascination becomes obsession as Angier struggles to discern how his rival accomplished the impossible – suggesting the work of real magic before his very eyes. Christopher Nolan proves himself as much a magician as his two lead subjects; The Prestige cleverly draws parallels between the escapist power of the big screen and the twisting mystique of an elaborate trick – each sharing a meticulous three-act structure and the power to utterly entrance its captive audience..