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The Prestige

The Prestige

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2006130 minPG-13Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Christopher Nolan
Starring
Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo

A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Prestige?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Prestige streaming on Disney+ and Netflix and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Prestige?

The Prestige earns 14 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Modern classic.

Show 6 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Prestige worth watching?

The Prestige's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 3.8M ratings across 6 sources. 94% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)98th
Approval (how many liked it)99th

84 /100

98th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2000s

Critics 66 · Audience 85

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

94% liked it

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2000s
94% rated it 7–106% rated it 1–6

Critics 77% · Audience 92%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 6 wins / 43 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Art Direction
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Cinematography

99th percentile

3.8M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 49% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$15M
Domestic gross$53M
Worldwide gross$110M

Returned 2.7× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A darkly ambitious tale of two obsessive magicians locked in a destructive rivalry where the line between illusion and reality blurs.

Fans praised

  • layered non-linear narrative mirroring a magic trick
  • riveting rivalry between Bale and Jackman grounded in obsession
  • moody period atmosphere with meticulous production design

Detractors panned

  • sci-fi cloning machine as a cheat breaking established realism
  • cold, unlikable characters making emotional investment difficult
  • overcomplicated plot with gimmicky twists rather than coherent storytelling

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

superb lead duo and strong support from Caine, Bowie

Atmosphere85

immersive Victorian-era world-building

Cinematography82

shadowy, atmospheric photography by Wally Pfister

OriginalityDivisive80

unique blend of period drama and mind-game thriller

TensionDivisive78

palpable suspense from escalating rivalry and reversals

Plot and storyDivisive70

intricate puzzle-box with divisive sci-fi turn

CharactersDivisive65

complex but cold and often unlikable protagonists

EndingDivisive60

divisive final revelations; fans love the twist, detractors feel cheated

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Prestige like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Multiple perspectives · 2% of films: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.
ToneThe film treats its dark, obsessive material with complete seriousness, maintaining a moody and grave atmosphere throughout.
The rideSustained tension and dread, broken by brief moments of wonder; the final act is relentlessly bleak and devastating.
StructureThe story is told out of chronological order, jumping between different time periods and drawing on diary entries, with perspectives from both rivals.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's layered reveals and moral complexity leave the viewer pondering the cost of obsession long after the credits roll.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% (this title) · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe narrative is driven by the all-consuming obsession of two rival magicians, leading to mutual destruction, which fits the tragedy archetype with an obsession subtype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of filmsDeception · 9% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how the obsessive pursuit of a secret corrodes everything, demanding impossible sacrifice and built on layers of deception.
StanceThe film warns against the destructive cost of obsession, showing how it consumes both men and everyone around them.

The world

19th centuryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · David Julyan
SettingVictorian-era London theater world, with a detour to snowy Colorado Springs
MusicA haunting, minimalist score built around piano and strings that mirrors the film's sense of dread and melancholy.

Content guide

Is The Prestige okay for kids?

PG-13

The Prestige is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing images” (MPAA). As of October 22, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (59/100), sexual content at mild (26/100), language at mild (28/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (34/100) and frightening material at intense (65/100). Overall it is heavier than 68% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 39 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+13
  • Austria12
  • Belgium14
  • BGC
  • Czechia12
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Greece13
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary16
  • ID17+
  • IndiaU
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB-15
  • MY18PL
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • Russia12+
  • SingaporePG
  • South Africa13
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Taiwan保護級
  • TH13
  • Türkiye16+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 42% of all filmsHeavier than 68% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 70%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 44%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 15%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 62%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 84%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Prestige have?

MovieCove's classifier found 7 depicted content warnings in The Prestige: Animal cruelty (moderate), Animal death (moderate), Gore or body horror (moderate), Gun violence (moderate), Addiction or relapse (mild), Medical procedures (mild), plus 1 withheld here because it would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateAnimal crueltyAnimal deathGore or body horrorGun violence
MildAddiction or relapseMedical procedures

Cast and crew

Who is in The Prestige?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Hugh Jackman
as Robert Angier
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christian Bale
as Alfred Borden
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Caine
as Cutter
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Piper Perabo
as Julia McCullough
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Rebecca Hall
as Sarah
newcomer then · star now
Scarlett Johansson
as Olivia Wenscombe
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Samantha Mahurin
as Jess
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
David Bowie
as Tesla
Andy Serkis
as Alley
Daniel Davis
as Judge

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Prestige?

Movies like The Prestige include Black Swan (2010), The Hidden Face (2011) and The Beguiled (1971). Of the 12 closest matches, half are stories about rivals, and several are films set in London.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: obsession. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Prestige?

57 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: artist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.