Though he has less than a dozen feature films under his belt, Christopher Nolan has become an innovative, force to be reckoned with. From his socially relevant debut, “Following,” to the “Dark Knight” trilogy and “Inception,” Nolan has continually demonstrated his uncanny ability to seamlessly mold a story into a beautiful cinematic archetype.
In a new video essay from The Nerdwriter, they focus on Nolan’s fifth film, “The Prestige,” the story of two feuding magicians in a spellbinding, climactically triumphant narrative. Nolan uses this narrative as a powerful force, it’s how he connects with his viewers and draws them in, without, as he likes to put it, deconstructing anything.
In other words, “The Prestige” is almost meta-meta-cinematic. It uses multiplicity in plain sight, as the essay suggests, in order to provide a unique viewing experience without compromising any answers for the audience.
A terrific film with a stellar cast (Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, and Michael Caine), if you’re a fan of Nolan, it’s time for a rewatch. Check out the video essay below.