(Credit: Netflix)

When people think of Christopher Nolan, it is quite unlikely that the conversation does not go straight to Interstellar or Inception. Of course, the 54-year-old director has given the world some of the best, timeless films that will be discussed repeatedly over the decades. But tucked nearly between the early indie success of the director and his more recent big blockbusters is a film that is, from time to time, acknowledged by the true cinephiles: The Prestige. A haunted, layered and deeply underrated masterpiece from Nolan, which is often listed as one of his best works by fans.

Currently streaming on Netflix, The Prestige is a tale of rivalry, illusion, ambition and obsession. Set in the smoky, gas-lit theatres of 19th-century London, the film narrates the story of two magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), as their professional rivalry spirals into something darker.

As the film begins, it is all about these two upping each other’s stage tricks, which quickly turns personal, fatal and ultimately brutal. By the time you reach the end, you realise the biggest magician is no one but Christopher Nolan himself, who pulled off the biggest trick of all. The Prestige is less about magic and more about what we are willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of greatness.

Bale and Jackman are electric together; while the former’s Broden is quiet, intense and brilliant, the latter’s Angier is charming, wounded and increasingly desperate. As they start ruining people’s lives by sabotaging each other’s performances and stealing each other’s secrets, the film becomes a slow-burning psychological duel. The crux of the matter doesn’t remain limited to who wins, but how much of themselves they are willing to lose to win.

While the rivalry between Borden and Angier takes centre stage, the emotional toll of their obsession unfolds through the women around them. Scarlett Johansson plays Olivia, the stage assistant who gets caught in the middle, a pawn in the pursuit of power. Rebecca Hall, on the other hand, portrays the prescient Sarah Borden, Alfred’s wife. Her character senses that things are not quite right even before the audience does, which leads her to eventually deliver one of the most heartbreaking moments in the film.

Apart from these two brilliant actresses and their nuanced portrayal of inherited trauma, in a surprise cameo, David Bowie plays a small yet crucial role as Nikola Tesla, adding a surreal edge to the narrative of the film. That being revealed, the film introduces a real, or perhaps magical, science, blurring the lines between trickery and possibility.

What makes the film so special is its unique structure, as constructed by Nolan. The narrative is designed like a magic trick; there is the pledge, the turn, and the prestige. In other words, it is not just a storytelling gimmick but the emotional architecture of the film, where each revelation hits harder as we are tricked into thinking we know what is coming, but in reality, we couldn’t be further from it.

The Prestige is not just a brilliant story told extraordinarily, but also a visually stunning masterpiece. The cinematography by Wally Pfister is dark and brooding, consisting of rich textures which stay as true as possible to the period represented while retaining a modern edge, successfully immersing the audience in the mysterious aura of the backstages of Victorian theatres. Furthermore, the hand-held camera shots add to the authenticity while keeping it aesthetic.

So, if you have somehow missed this masterpiece, now is your moment. And if you have seen it before, it is a good time to revisit this nearly two-decade-old feature by Christopher Nolan, because some films deserve a second look, especially when they are hiding in plain sight.