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Moriarty Conjures Up AICN’s First Review Of THE PRESTIGE!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
There’s almost no way to discuss this film without getting into spoilers.
But I’m going to do my best. And if I feel like I have to discuss something spoilery to make a point, I will give you ample warning. I don’t want to ruin this film for even one potential viewer.
Because part of the reason I enjoyed THE PRESTIGE so much is the absolute lack of knowledge I had about the film. As it unfolded, I was absolutely without a map. Because THE PRESTIGE doesn’t really resemble any other film at first glance, and because I’d be hard-pressed to pin it down to any specific genre, it feels as you’re watching like anything can happen. And indeed... anything can. There are fantastic, remarkable things that happen in this film, some illusion, some magic, some simply a matter of perspective. THE PRESTIGE is, from its first frame to the last, a magic trick designed to confound at first, but hopefully to delight upon closer inspection.
The film takes place just before the dawn of the 20th century. Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman, on a roll this year) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are both apprenticed to an older magician, both of them determined to one day make their own mark in the world of magic. Cutter (Michael Caine) is the ingeneur, the man who stands behind the magician, building him the devices he needs to pull off the illusions he envisions. Cutter recognizes raw potential in both Angier and Borden. It’s obvious that Angier is the showman, the performer who is perfectly at home on a stage, while Borden is the genius who has trouble connecting with the crowd. He’s the one who seems capable of real magic from the very start.
There’s a tragic accident that drives a wedge between Angier and Borden, though, leaving both men broken in different ways. Piper Perabo plays the woman who haunts them both, and it’s a nice small role for her. Both Angier and Borden begin to seriously persue their dreams of fame and glory, and they also set out to destroy each other. It’s not enough to succeed for either of them unless the other fails. That’s enough drama to drive a film, but this is a movie by Christopher Nolan. It’s not that easy.
In a way, this is the first film since MEMENTO where I sense the personal stamp of Chris Nolan in full effect. I know this is adapted from a novel by Christopher Priest (which I haven’t read, but which I will now that I’ve seen and enjoyed the film), but the script by Chris and Jon Nolan is an exceptional exercise in film writing. They use every single tool at their disposal to play their game on the audience. And I’m not talking about something as simple as a twist ending. We’ve all seen twist endings before. This film is built to fold in on itself, daring you to pin it down. In pulling off this cinematic magic trick, there are things that Nolan has hidden in plain view, and one of the big delights of the film for me was the moment where I connected the dots a little bit before the film revealed itself, and I sat watching how Nolan was practically taunting you, daring you to catch him at his little game. It’s playful, powerful filmmaking, and Nolan gets great work from all of his collaborators here, whether the actors or the camera department or editorial. Wally Pfister was Oscar-nominated for BATMAN BEGINS, an incredible feat considering how little love is typically shown to superhero fare. Pfister’s work here is energetic, alive, anything but the way I’m used to seeing period films look. This feels contemporary. There’s a pulse to this that will make you forget that this supposedly took place over a hundred years ago. This feels like right now. I love stories where real-life figures are woven into the fabric of the piece in fictional ways. Nikola Tesla, played here by David Bowie in an otherworldly turn, pushes the film into the real of steampunk, and he plays this Electrical Age Wizard with a cold efficiency that you don’t get from your typical fantasy archetype. Tesla is at the heart of the film’s biggest mystery, and I suspect the nature of the machines he builds for both Borden and Angier will cause the most controversy of any plot element from the film. I’ve talked to three people who have seen the movie, and none of them agree on what they saw. None of them agree on what happens in the end of the film. None of them agree on how certain pieces fit together, or even what those pieces are.
And I love that. I think I have the film figured out, but I’m not sure. I know what I think the final shot says to me, and I think it’s terrifying, cold-blooded and awful. But because of how it’s put together, I can’t be sure that my interpretation is right. What a kick.
I think some critics will brush this one off as a genre exercise, but I think this is a film about faith and the drive to create art and about the price we pay for the things we want most in life. I think THE PRESTIGE is a great human epic about two flawed characters who, were they to ever pool their efforts, could probably dominate the magic world. Instead, because they turn their attentions toward mutual destruction, neither one of them is able to become the magician they are capable of becoming.
Worse, neither one of them becomes the man they are capable of becoming, and that’s the real tragedy of the film. By becoming consumed with anger and jealousy and revenge, both of these men are destroyed. Borden’s a great character, and Bale takes visible pleasure playing all the layers of Borden and his many faces, and I find myself rooting for him in the film although he’s ostensibly cast as the villain. Angier, on the other hand, begins as the wronged man, the hero in need of revenge, and he is gradually corrupted to such a degree that it’s impossible to side with him any further. It’s a beautiful sort of teeter-totter of empathy that the Nolans ride with their screenplay, and I think it’s one of the best structured things I’ve seen all year. I want to see the film again because I want to look at the first half, and I want to see all the visual clues that Nolan lays out from the very first image, where you see a forest floor cluttered with top hats and rabbits. Iconography that is instantly recognizable as stage magic, but in an incongruous setting. Is it just a stylistic choice, or is this a key to what we’re about to see? Could Nolan be giving you a huge piece of the puzzle right up front, confident that you don’t know what it is you’re looking at, so you won’t get ahead of the trick.
I want to make a comment that might be interpreted as extra-spoilery, although I’m really only going to talk about theme and not plot. Still, if you’re hypersensitive (and you might want to be on a film this cool), then skip to the next paragraph now. For me, this film makes a fascinating double-feature with THE DEPARTED, both of them films about duality and mirrored personalities and deception and the toll it takes when it is over a genuine span of time. One of the characters in THE PRESTIGE makes a sacrifice for the sake of their art that is incalculable, but that’s sort of the point.
How far would you go to create something new? In any art, that’s not easy. In film, in prose, in poetry or music, in painting or sculpture or photography... it seems like there is very little that is “new.” But the notion that we might be the one who somehow comes up with that thing that turns an art form on its head... that is what keeps many people at it, pushing themselves, pushing their art in any number of directions. Sometimes, that drive to do something special can lead to work that seems to exist in a moral vacuum, work that is about innovation but that doesn’t care at what cost. A real artist will follow their muse to hell and back because they have no choice, and both Borden and Angier pay dearly for their signature tricks in this film, although neither of them pays in the way that the other thinks they do.
Scarlett Johansson is extra-yummy in period corsets and tight-fitting clothes, and she makes the most of her admittedly-brief screen time. Andy Serkis makes a strong impression as Tesla’s assistant, Alley. Nolan’s longtime collaborators Nathan Crowley (production design), Lee Smith (editing), and David Julyan (score) all do exceptional work here, and it’s like they all tuned in perfectly to what Nolan is trying to do. Everything’s in service of the trick.
I think THE PRESTIGE is a painfully sad film, and I think is a dense and complicated film that not everyone will appreciate, especially if they just see it once and then shut down. But what I like about this and about MEMENTO is that Nolan wants to make films that not only withstand repeat viewings, but that actually demand them. He’s becoming a dazzling mainstream artist, and he’s not repeating himself over and over to do it. Nolan has a distinct voice in mega-budget filmmaking, and I hope he’s in it for the long haul. Right now, there’s no one else like him, and we’re richer for it. I can’t wait for next Friday so the heated arguments about this one can begin.
I’ve got still more stuff coming today, but first, a few hours rest on my end.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
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Can't wait to see this, I don't care what anyone says about it!
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Brrrrrrrrlah
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Can't wait to see this, I don't care what anyone says about it!
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Can't wait to see this, I don't care what anyone says about it!
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Like most people I was blown away by Memento. This sounds fantastic.
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Moriarty is right. He's a great filmmaker who doesn't just keep repeating what made him famous (unlike say, M. Night Shyamalan). BATMAN BEGINS is the best movie ever made from comic book source material and this one, if this review and the trailer are anything to go by, looks like another knockout. MORI, I heard Nolan is working on an adaptation of THE PRISONER. Good idea or is that just too sacred for you for ANYONE to touch? (I think it would be amazing.)
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.....abiggerboat getting first, yeah you the man....nerd
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... and I even managed to skip the spoilery paragraph (reluctantly). Excited to see this one with almost no fanfare or prelude. Your review is enough to convince me it will be one of the motion picture events of the year. Thanks!
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I've been waiting more than a year to see. Ain't it cool when the movies live up to expectations? I hope this does for me!
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Sounds great. Thanks for the review.
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..."I know what I think the final shot says to me, and I think it’s terrifying, cold-blooded and awful. But because of how it’s put together, I can’t be sure that my interpretation is right", that is EXACTLY how I felt about the ending of the book. I am so excited to hear you say this, because to me it means that whether they closely follow the plot of the book or not (and I understand that they don't), they have stayed faithful to the tone of the book. That's awesome. Can't wait.
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Read the book, haven't seen the film. Bale says that the film is very different from the book, and Nolan says that one of the main things he changed is the ending. I'll be interested to see what he came up with, as the ending to the book is creepy as hell. Also (very minor book spoiler), does the film have a prologue and epilogue set in the present day, like the book?
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Moriarty, that's all you had to say to let me know that they nailed this movie. This next week is going to be hard. It's interesting that they replaced the creepy (nay, scary) as hell ending of the book with another creepy ending that, from the way you described it, thematically represents the exact same thing. Either way, everyone should read the book. It is the single most complex work of fiction that I have ever read.
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Calling me a nerd for saying first, which most talkbackers do just out of tradition, I'm now a broken man!
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that's a good thing. I loved the book but what is up with people loving the ending. Yes it's creepy but think about it fora bit and it leaves large gaping plotholes that Preist didn't feel like filling (remeber the scene in the basement with the machine that get completely forgotten.
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Cannot wait to see this. It appears to cater to my own recent adventure film craze, yet at the same time be a great Nolan film. So far, the guy is flawless and I hope it stays that way. Mori, GREAT review as usual.
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Cannot wait to see this. It appears to cater to my own recent adventure film craze, yet at the same time be a great Nolan film. So far, the guy is flawless and I hope it stays that way. Mori, GREAT review as usual.
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then I have succeeded in my intention....consider yourself chastised young man....oh, and 19th
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Can not wait.
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read the book again. hell, read it two more times. the brilliant thing about priest's book is that nearly all the questions are answered before they're asked. and since the answer always follows the question, you only get it if you re-read it.
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ANDY FUCKING SERKIS. And David Bowie's crazy ass as Nikola Tesla? HO-LY SHIT do I want to see this movie. Great review Mori it helped me make up my mind.
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I have to say.... NOLAN RULES BABY!!
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Does he do any cool stuff w/ cards?
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... makes a sacrifice for the sake of their art that is incalculable, but that’s sort of the point." I'd argue that both make a sacrifice for their art that is incalculable. Basically... they're both fucking nuts.
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Pecan't weight too c tis, I won't clare butt renyone zayz aboot tits!
Yes.
I am being a dick. -
angier definitely makes a sacrifice, but i would say only half of borden makes one as well. alfred borden is happy and famous. but yet no one knows that alfred borden even exists. i hope you understand what i mean by that, because i'm trying to be vague with my spoilers.
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is already kicking the summer's ass. science of sleep, the departed, half nelson. i know it's a different season for movies, but this summer was god awful. except for miami vice. which i thought was incredible. can't wait for this.
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What, no Moriarty out? I'm hurt and confused.
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This is exactly the kind of review I wanted. I can only pray I find the film as fascinating. It gives me just a bit of pause though that I know there is alot of Nolan bias here.
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I'm interested to see whether he incorporates any of the journal elements from the book, such as Angier's edititing of Borden's journal (or was it the other way around?). Also curious about making them friends and apprentices under the same magician. Anyway, can't wait.
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but I'm not one of them. Can't wait to see it.
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Is this guy the Kubrick of the early 21st century? Following, Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins - all class acts. Fingers crossed for The Prestige.
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And I'd be willing to agree with it. I'd maybe argue that Lynch is also close to this "level", but Nolan is definitely more similar to Kubrick in style and such. Also looking forward to this movie.
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My number one most anticipated movie for the rest of this year (which is also why I barely skimmed the above). Can't wait.
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I've already been sold on this one... Managed to catch Illusionist, and well I pretty much figured what was happening halfway through... interesting flic, but it's more made for TV methinks...
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testing
guess it works
hoo nooo -
...is the absolute lack of knowledge I had about the film" thats exactly where i stopped reading, and i will have to read the rest on oct 21. (along with anything else prestige related)
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Why the fuck did they make these two apprentices to a guy? They took away the ENTIRE basis for the feud!!! Fuck. God how much can they fuck up a great story?!
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...and then bailed. Don't want to know a thing about it going in. And I'm definitely in this weekend baby. My wife and I haven't been this geeked to go to the movies in a while. Now this AND The Departed. Batman Begins rocked and adding Jackman to that triumvirate bodes well!
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The Prestige looks amazing. Batman Begins was one of the best films of the decade.. Check out this new animated comedy channel. Transforce is makes me pinch a chocolate hot dog laughing.
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I absolutely understand what you're saying... but Angier's sacrifice... well... (in the spirit of keeping things secretive) ... his sacrifice isn't exactly... hmm... how do I put this? Angier's sacrifice isn't something he's very attached to. I mean it's horrible, what he does, but it's not like... you know... uh... Yeah, I can't figure a way to say it without spoiling the whole thing. I'd say I like and sympathize with Angier more than Borden... but they're both still fucking crazy. Or, at least, one is crazy (and by crazy I mean just completely fucked in his approach to the way he perceives his "self") and one becomes crazy.
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Please Christ, let one film this year live up to at least half it's hype. MEMENTO was an asinine attempt at as a neo-noir thriller,INSOMNIA was a much tighter movie in the same genre... although paled considerably to the original and BATMAN BEGINS was a yet more confident film than the others and arguably one of the best comic book adaption I've seen. So, again, please let Nolan keep with the trend and make what should be his best film to date and by default the best film so far this year. Bale, having cornered the market on smarmy, continues to grow and find his own niche as a valid actor. Jackman needs some convincing, though this role may play to his more subdued strengths. I'm running out of hope for any great films this year. Maybe this one will answer my prayers.
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Every film should have at least a David Bowie cameo. The guy is a freakin' institution and should get more credit in the previews (movie-guy saying his name or maybe just flashing it accross the screen). David Bowie is overshadowing every other reason to go see this movie.
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Ok, I admit it...I'd probably never have gotten into Tesla if it wasn't for the band (and I still put "Mechanical Resonance" right up there with most any freshman LP) but after reading Margaret Cheney's biography of him ("Man Out of Time") back around 1991 I became fascinated with the fellow. I've seen some of his actual handiworks in the (closed till 2008) American History Museum (sadly, obscenely located within the Thomas A. "I'm a Dickhead in real life" Edison exhibit) and an amusing charicature in the National Portrait Gallery. I'd love to see a biopic done on him...done right, that is. Why I never heard about this remarkable man in school even once but had Edison drilled into my head as the greatest inventor ever (hint-HE AIN'T) is beyond me. Oh, wait, Edison=General Electric. Well, FUCK G.E.!!! And fuck Edison, too. Tesla might not have had much business sense, but he never electrocuted any animals publicly to discredit Edison. I hate that prick!!! Remeber kids...most of the internal workings of your average american hydrogen bomb were brought to you by G.E....We bring good things to life and will nuke your ass, too! Can't wait to dig on this movie...Bowie is the SHIT, too! Insanity laughs, under pressure we break!
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The guy is a really good actor. His performance in Basquiat is the best screen version of Andy Warhol in my opinion. And I think to anyone of my generation Jareth the Goblin King is an icon. I know he even did some stage work back in the day. At this point in his career I think he could carve out a beautiful niche for himself as an actor. Let's hope he takes advantage of this movie.
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There's no way the ending of the book would work in cinematic form. I hope to God they changed it. I'm preying they changed it, because most of the book is so good.
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Me no understand...
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Thanks for the feedback. Nolan's movies all seem to inhabit the same universe, an existential realm where you have to fight to survive. It'll be really interesting to see where his career takes him post-Prestige. I just hope he doesn't get bogged down in Batman sequels. Do the Joker one then get out Mr Nolan.
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He's always been my favorite singer and he's one hell of an actor too. Bale and Jackman were enought to get me wanting to see this film. But when I heard he was in it too then I couldn't wait. Sounds good from the review. By the way did you guys catch Bowie on The Venture Bros season finale? Fooking hilarous.
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Moriarty's review i can't wait to see this one. My expectations are high and i'm confident because every Nolan film i've seen so far were great.
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Prestige is Love
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Such a good, mysterious scene there, that I've watched over and over.
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And by that I mean the whole time I found myself wishing I could be hearing it as a book on tape, or watching the movie version- I thought the biggest "twist" to the premise of the book was way too hard to describe and set up within its pages without giving way too much away from the get go. And I think as a result, what would have been a great ending experience for me turned out to just be a "meh" ending. Which is not to say it shouldn't be scary as fuck. Anywho, I'm really hoping the flick makes some great adaptation choices and kicks mucho ass. Is it fair to say something should be better as a movie than a book if you haven't even seen the movie yet?
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Actually I kinda dug the book. It has two great perspectives, some great twists that I hope will be included in the film, and some interesting characters.
As for the ending of the book...it kind of sounds like they're trying something similar in the film. The ending of the book was rather strange, haunting and ambiguous. It kind of reminded me of the ending to an old B movie called THE ASPHYX....anyone remember it?
Anyway...can't wait to see the film.
And, hey, it's my first post! WOO HOO!
--G -
Some 19 year old internet floozy is now wonderwoman...she has catipillar eyebrows...but i'd hit it
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Damn you Michael Bay
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Ehh, maybe not so much. But I agree, his acting's been better than his singing for the last 20 years. This film, like pretty much every good movie this year, will be great on video. Going to the movies to see grown up films - one thing I miss now that I've got kids.
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Ehh, maybe not so much. But I agree, his acting's been better than his singing for the last 20 years. This film, like pretty much every good movie this year, will be great on video. Going to the movies to see grown up films - one thing I miss now that I've got kids.
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Ehh, maybe not so much. But I agree, his acting's been better than his singing for the last 20 years. This film, like pretty much every good movie this year, will be great on video. Going to the movies to see grown up films - one thing I miss now that I've got kids.
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Why does it triple post? I swear I hit "post comment" once!
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I can't find any sources that she's been cast
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Serkis gets a mention but Bowie gets no love?? It's friggin David "tightly frightly pants" Bowie!! If anything, the guy is cooler now than ever before... he's perfect as Tesla... can they fit him in Dark Crystal 2 somewhere? I know...he wasn't in the original...but come ON....!
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There isn't a single wasted scene. It's incredibly tight, yet even so, it flows effortlessly and doesn't feel forced. And it keeps you completely engaged and twisting throughout. What an incredible movie.
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I agree it's an excellent film and I too think I've got it worked out, actually it seemed pretty straight forward, once they showed the hats and the CAT on the forest floor, what might happen... Cheers.
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Nolan kicks some ass with this one. Very interesting how the good/bad guys roles get switched by the end of the movie...
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