this film really annoy the hell out of me . it be definitely an entry into the oeuvre of movie that be so obsess by how clever it twist be that it forget to worry about thing such a sympathetic characterisation and naturalistic expositional dialogue and and and most crucially and the effective execution of say oh so clever twist . first and a few point about the script . the script be dreadful in part and with exposition that may as well be speak directly to camera . the character and hugh jackman in particular and seem unrounded and without any kind of back story seemingly plop into the middle of an obsessive pursuit without any explanation a to where say obsession may have originate . a happens in so many hollywood movie and the female role be perfunctory up to the point of pastiche do anyone else groan with anticipation of how banal and run of the mill scarlett johansson would be . i would like to see a studio movie that and in the absence of an integral love story and crowbar in some half assed romance entirely for the sake of some demograph of dubious existence who be believe to not want to see a movie without some histrionic sexual politics . now and on to those twist and of which there be two major one . the first and whose set up be establish very early on and be glaringly obvious . i spend most of the film seethe with frustration a line that and in what i guess the maker hop would be in hindsight and be massively irritate clue to the audience . all this be abrogate by the fact that it be all clear to me from the off ( and i wasn not aware there be a twist to the film so i wasn not look out for one ) and all due to the fact that essential production value fail to adequately disguise the twist . the second twist and which act not only a plot but supposedly a a thematic comparison to the first and be what leave me want my money back . the filmmaker seem to have forget that suspension of disbelief must be eared through establish what can an can not happen in the world they have create . for example and in the matrix and when we show that it be trinity love for neo that bring him back from the dead and the audience be able to accept this because the reality that have be establish be one of sci fi machine rule the world type . we have be prepare to be ask to go along with the possible . the prestige and a film that throughout it running time show and tell u that the magic in the film be one root in realistic trickery and that the rivalry between the two main character be base on which can come up with the cleverest ruse and believe that it do not need to ask the audience to suspend it disbelief before lay down the big of deus ex machina macguffin see in recent cinema . we be expect to believe that within this realistic turn of the century world that a machine be invent that ( through science and not magic ) can do what remain impossible in the present . this twist represent lazy and lazy storytelling it be like the writer could not come up with an actual clever end so just use their get out of jail free card instead . on the side and there be some very pretty thing to look at and with impressive period detail and some imaginative composition from nolan . michael caine and andy serkis be both excellent and and it always nice to see david bowie on screen and but thats where the act plaudit stop . bale and jackman give in uncharismatic and unlikeable performance and johanssen float along on a wave of arbitrariness . i would say to avoid this film and unless you enjoy the energy that truly hat a film can give you and a it have to me .