Not the best film of its year to deal with the subject of magic and to feature both Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman. That distinction would belong to Woody Allen's Scoop, which was unchallenged as well (except insofar as the air pressure in Jessica Biel's lips may have challenged Scarlett Johansson's) by that intervening magic film, The Illusionist. Between the two also-rans, it's pretty near a toss-up, two turn-of-the-century period pieces tangled up in their compulsive twists and turns. Christopher Nolan, the present director, is somewhat less adept at concealing his tricks, despite trying diligently to lose the viewer in a maze of flashbacks-within-flashbacks. Even had he succeeded, his reliance on the plot expedience of dead ringers is taken to lengths of absurdity surpassing even daytime soap operas. Lengths, to be more exact, of the flightiest science fiction. The plot premise of a professional and personal rivalry between a couple of London stage magicians (Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan's Batman, in addition to Jackman) is fractionally more involving than the hanky-panky of the separated lovers in The Illusionist, and Michael Caine adds a touch of class, David Bowie a touch of mustache. (2006) — Duncan Shepherd