REEL CRITICS:A controversial and troubling ‘Death’

In this age of reality TV and sensationalistic journalism, does anything still have the power to shock?

The mock documentary “Death of a President,” with its depiction of President Bush being assassinated, has been controversial: Some theater chains and major media outlets have refused to run the film or ads for it.

Whatever your political beliefs may be, “Death of a President” is unsettling, but not for the reasons you might expect.

British director Gabriel Range takes a what-if look at the possible consequences of the current administration’s domestic and foreign policies since Sept. 11, 2001.

The movie begins in 2007 and shows President Bush addressing a private group in Chicago while angry protesters line the streets outside. Told in investigative-report style, the film cleverly mixes real footage with fictional, using actors as U.S. officials and Secret Service staff, recounting the day the president was shot.

Anyone who remembers the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy will be rattled to see this segment, fictional or not.

With Dick Cheney now the president, the suspenseful hunt for the killer takes up the second half of the film. Racial profiling, the War on Terrorism, the Patriot Act, the War in Iraq, and foreign diplomacy are all factors that come into play in this sobering and eerie tale that, hopefully, will never play out in real life.

Seeking ‘Prestige’ with intelligence and drama

Two famous stage magicians at the end of the 19th century battle each other for supremacy in life, love and the mastery of illusions. How this rivalry unfolds and profoundly affects the lives of many others is the heart of the story in “The Prestige.” Their frenetic pursuit of the ultimate illusion drives them both to the edge of madness.

Director Christopher Nolan (“Memento” and “Batman Begins”) brings many psychological layers to the complex drama. He has created an unusual film that is a classic period piece with unexpected science fiction overtones. He employs Oscar-quality production values to develop intricate themes of mystery, tragedy and triumph. Twists and turns abound in the unfolding story.

Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are excellent as the obsessed adversaries who will stop at nothing to destroy each other’s reputations and livelihoods.

Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson almost steal the show in their outstanding supporting roles.

The screenplay gets a little drawn out in its two-hour running time. And there are a few false bottoms in the elaborate hall-of-mirrors plot. But this is a quality film that will entertain an intelligent audience.