At the beginning of The Prestige, the narrator explains that a magic act’s final stage, after which the film is titled, “is the part with the twists and turns.” That said, the film’s title couldn’t be more appropriate. Prestige is wet with the twists and turns characteristic of director Christopher Nolan’s other films (Batman Begins, Insomnia, Memento). But unlike the others, Prestige doesn’t warrant a second screening.

The movie takes place in turn-of-the-century London, where it follows the lives of magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and a bitter rivalry between the two that develops into a life-threatening obsession to outdo one another.

Jackman and Bale are Prestige’s main problem. Not because of their acting-Jackman sheds his claws to tackle the role of inferior magician surprisingly well, and Bale’s performance is like a cross between his roles in Batman Begins and Reign of Fire – but because of the uneven changes in focus between them. Once the attention shifts from a character, it takes too long to get back to him. And by the time it does, you’ve stopped caring. This, combined with the many similarities in each character’s story, slows down the film and sometimes makes you feel as if you’re watching the same events twice.

Still, there are moments where the movie demands and deserves the audience’s attention, especially during the scenes with Scarlett Johansson, who plays Angier’s assistant and gets caught up in a love triangle between him and his rival.

The Prestige’s ending also holds your strict attention. It wraps things up neatly while adding a clever twist common to Nolan’s other films. But while those films are stylistic entertainment with some substance – Memento with its crafty editing or Batman Begins with its dark gothic theme — The Prestige is simply entertainment. While it does borrow those films’ techniques, it lacks its own driving force. In the end, it’s like a magic show. You leave entertained, but you still have your doubts.