I saw The Prestige last year and liked it. There are some similarities between Jake and Christian Bale, yes, but I think Jake is much more soulful. CB generally leaves me cold. Don't know why - something lacking in his eyes, I think.
I actually liked The Illusionist quite a bit more. As much as I enjoyed Hugh Jackman in The Prestige and generally don't like Edward Norton so much, I got a kick out of him in The Illusionist. Much more passionate than he usually is. He runs kind of hot and cold. To me, he generally just phones it in. But sometimes someone or something lights a fire under him and he turns out an amazing performance, as in American History X or Primal Fear. He ruined The Red Dragon for me, though - that was one of my favorite books years ago, and he crucified Will Graham. William Petersen got him right in Manhunter, the first movie version of that book. Ed Norton watered him down so much he barely held your interest, let alone made you care about (and be a little creeped out by) him.
Can I be both a Script Doctor and a Casting Doctor? Just a little dream I have of re-writing decent scripts to have dialogue that doesn't make me want to gag and recasting good stories with the right actors.
And yes, Jake would have been great in CB's role in The Prestige. But then he'd be great (and about a thousand times better) in pretty much every role CB's ever played, if you ask me. Sigh - Jake as my literary crush Laurie in "Little Women" - I shouldn't even go there...