Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:01 am
The Prestige.
Both have unsatisfying endings that rely WAAAAAAAY too much on Big Twists that ultimately undermine much of their films. I'm so glad these films have given me a great metaphor for why I tend to dislike twist endings. Watching films like this is like watching a magic trick, in which you are initially fascinated by how the pieces of these puzzles will fit together. But upon discovery of the ending, it feels like the secret to the magic trick has been revealed and then . . . what? I admire the intricate construction of both films, but at the end of the day, to what ends do their elaborate plots ultimately serve?
I was more surprised by the ending to The Illusionist; I bought the ending to The Prestige more. And I had much more fun watching The Prestige. The performances are better (save for a curiously miscast Scarlett Johansson -- that's three in a row for her!), it's far more stylishly directed, and I actually enjoyed its splintered plot line a great deal, as it lead to some very satisfying twists along the way. It's definitely shallow, but for much of its running time, it's fun.
Both have unsatisfying endings that rely WAAAAAAAY too much on Big Twists that ultimately undermine much of their films. I'm so glad these films have given me a great metaphor for why I tend to dislike twist endings. Watching films like this is like watching a magic trick, in which you are initially fascinated by how the pieces of these puzzles will fit together. But upon discovery of the ending, it feels like the secret to the magic trick has been revealed and then . . . what? I admire the intricate construction of both films, but at the end of the day, to what ends do their elaborate plots ultimately serve?
I was more surprised by the ending to The Illusionist; I bought the ending to The Prestige more. And I had much more fun watching The Prestige. The performances are better (save for a curiously miscast Scarlett Johansson -- that's three in a row for her!), it's far more stylishly directed, and I actually enjoyed its splintered plot line a great deal, as it lead to some very satisfying twists along the way. It's definitely shallow, but for much of its running time, it's fun.