The Prestige

Again, an initial image that poses a splendid riddle: What might be the purpose of all those hats scattered across the forest clearing? A sea of top hats presents itself to the camera in the first shot: as an irresistible lure to the audience's curiosity and an invitation to keep their eyes open.

Again, Nolan is in no hurry to unravel the mystery of the hats. The solution takes place, as in "Insomnia," in a three-step process. That's how every good magic trick is structured. Christopher Nolan tells of two rival magicians in Victorian-era London and secretly reflects on his own medium. "Are you watching closely?" asks Michael Caine's wise voice from off-screen at the beginning. Twice more, this mantra resounds throughout the film. Here, a filmmaker is speaking to his audience, from whom he expects nothing less than their undivided attention. The greatest magic trick, we can reveal in advance, is complete devotion to one's own profession. No doubt about it, "The Prestige" is a confession.