Nowadays, Christopher Nolan is known as the Academy Award-winning director of Oppenheimer, who also holds the distinction of directing the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, The Odyssey. Before that, he was known as the director of the beloved Dark Knight trilogy. However, I was into Nolan even before that, as he made what I still think is his best movie, The Prestige.
On January 29th, 2027, The Prestige is returning to theaters for its 20th anniversary. Not only that, but the film will also be in IMAX for the very first time! So, here’s why I can’t wait to see The Prestige AGAIN next year.
The Movie Feels Different On A Big Screen
Back in 2006, when The Prestige first came out, I was in my 20s. Batman Begins had come out the year prior, and I was all in on Christopher Nolan. That said, I didn’t know what to make of his next project, which was about warring magicians or something like that. Christian Bale, my new favorite Batman at the time, was in it, and Hugh Jackman, who had cut his teeth as Wolverine, was also in it, and that’s all I knew.
Then I saw it on the big screen, and I knew right then and there that Christopher Nolan wasn’t just a good director; he was a great one. Since then, I've seen the film several times on the small screen. The thing that impresses me the most about it is that, similar to a magic trick, it feels like a different movie on my TV. Like Jaws, seeing it on the big screen and seeing it on the small screen are two completely different experiences.
On my TV, The Prestige feels like a more intimate story. The mystery of how The Transported Man is performed is almost secondary to the story of obsession and one-upmanship. However, on the big screen, I distinctly remember being marveled by the magic itself, and I’m looking forward to being marveled again come January 29th.
But It’s Not Just A Big Screen. It’s IMAX!
You know how James Cameron is now synonymous with 3D due to his Avatar movies? Well, even though other directors film in IMAX, I’m pretty sure the name that’s most synonymous with the format is Christopher Nolan, as some people will go out of their way to see his movies TWICE if they can’t catch the IMAX experience on their first viewing.
This is really interesting to me when it comes to The Prestige, because as I mentioned earlier, it feels like two different movies, depending on the screen. I can only imagine what it’s going to be like watching it on the biggest and loudest screen imaginable. In fact, this will be an all-new experience for me, and one that I’m greatly looking forward to as a megafan of the film.
I imagine the experience to be something like a cross between Oppenheimer (for the character drama aspects) and Interstellar (for the spectacle). Have I already mentioned how pumped I am for this rerelease?
I Think Now Is The Time To Introduce This Movie To My Son
The Prestige is currently available to watch with a Netflix subscription, so, in theory, I could show it to my 9-year-old son now, as he loves movies.
That said, if I’m going to introduce him to one of the best movies of the early 2000s, I’m going to give him the best experience possible, and that’s on an IMAX screen. So, I think January 29th, 2027 is the day that he will finally see The Prestige.
Because honestly, if I’m going to get my son into Christopher Nolan (And I definitely planned on it one day), then The Prestige is the film to do it with. It’s just that good.
