Why I Saw It: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Mélanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine,. And, if that isn't enough, I've seen the preview for this so many times and for so long that I don't think I had a choice at this point.
Cast: As I've already hinted at, the cast is big and talented. Despite what the previews show, I'd say Mark Ruffalo is the lead here. He and Mélanie Laurent play off each other well and are very entertaining together. Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson are definitely the leads of the magicians and do exactly what is asked of them in the roles. Isla Fisher is yet again sidelined deep down the bench. I would've liked to see her role a little bigger. Dave Franco is mostly an afterthought except for one or two sequences. Morgan Freeman doesn't play God, so, that's nice. His character is wise but highly imperfect, which is a nice change of pace from what he's normally cast as these days. Michael Caine has a fairly small but important role. The couple Batman reunion scenes alone, with him and Freeman are worth casting him though.
Plot: Four magicians rob a bank during a show. The FBI and Interpol investigate it. Twists abound. That's it in terms of plot. It's one of those movies that can definitely surprise you and is very proud of all its misdirection. The Ocean's Eleven DNA is undeniable. It's also an unfair comparison. This isn't as good. Plain and simple. The main difference is that Ocean's Eleven has one really great plan that seems oddly feasible and there's so many small beats along the way that there's always new value in rewatching. Now You See Me has one of those master schemes that has so many variables that, upon slight examination it's downright absurd and there is such focus on the "how'd they do it" that there's not a lot of substance to it beyond that. Don't get me wrong. The first time you see it is a lot of fun. I could tell the whole theater was very impressed by the end and I know I didn't see a lot of the twists coming. I'm just not sure that there's much substance beyond that.
Elephant in the Room: What about the magic? You mean "the super powers"? My biggest issue with the whole movie was that the magicians, specifically Harrelson, basically have super powers. Eisenberg is inhumanly good at slight of hand. Harrelson is less of a hypnotist and more Professor Xavier, and so many part of the plan rely of his hypnotizing abilities that it often feels like a narrative cheat. Oh, and Dave Franco's master locksmith abilities, and Isla Fishers skill for escaping from anything, those are essentially forgotten as soon as they are established.
One other thing:
Eisenberg does a card trick at the beginning. I'd don't know about everyone else, but it worked on me. That was pretty cool.
To Sum Things Up:
This movie is at first really impressive but upon closer examination, falls apart more than I'd like. I'm reminded of how I felt when I watched Lawless. For fans of this specific type of movie, there's plenty to enjoy and it'll fill your need for some new content. The most damning thing I have to say about it is that there are much better examples of this kind of movie out there. You will never hear someone say "Now You See Me is my favorite" anything. It's exactly as good as it needs to be. I don't regret seeing it, I just wish it had some more to it.
Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend
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