The Prestige is a film about the rivalry between two illusionists set in early 1900's England. The camera movements and lighting style throughout the entire film convey a sense of old time wonder, where the characters were living in an extraordinary time though to the audience it is history. A number of close up shots gave the impression that the audience was seeing even more clearly than the audience within the film, and so increased the tension of the surprise when the reveal came along. Furthermore, the theme of the film detailing the different acts within a magic trick (The Pledge, The Turn, and The Prestige) could be a larger sentiment on film making as well, and how films seek to 'trick' people into believing the unbelievable.
The effects within The Prestige are used very well to blur the lines between illusion, science and real magic. The audience is left wondering how these tricks are done and if the magicians have somehow tapped mystical power. The final reveal of science being a kind of 'real magic' is as shocking as it is gruesome, again displayed to great effect. The special effects within the film remain more on the subtle side, with explanation of the method of the tricks leading the audience to believe that though it is entertaining, there is still a basis in reality, which makes the finale all the more surprising even given the heavy handed foreshadowing. Adding to the characterization is done wonderfully with the effects, causing serious injury to both magicians when their apparatus malfunctions due to tampering. One could almost see this as a nod of respect for the people who do stunts and effects within productions, as evidenced by the Algier character taking his bow under the stage because of the requirements of the trick.
A similar film, The Illusionist, while excellent on it's own, becomes almost heavy handed with it's use of effects to convey that the magician is trying to sell himself as a being of supernatural power. While some of this is necessary to establish characterization and theme, there were some visuals the seemed to be the producers saying "Look at how cool this is!" While it didn't necessarily detract from the movie as a whole, it felt unneeded to further the film's pacing and ends up being a distracting trifle.
Both films are filled with wonder and surprise and despite their incredibly similar themes, tell two very different stories.
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