“Come in close…because the more you think you see…the easier it’ll be to fool you”
Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent, Michael Caine
Louis Leterrier has had a fairly chequered film making history. His first two Transporter movies gained a mixed reaction and he’ll be glad to say he didn’t direct the third. The Incredible Hulk didn’t amaze and, while it wasn’t awful, is the least liked of the Avengers films. His next Clash of the Titans was a big disappointment for me also. I’m pleased to report that Now You See Me is a great turnaround for his career.
The mysterious story sees four magicians – J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher – The Great Gatsby), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson – The Hunger Games) and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco – 21 Jump Street) – as they are enlisted by an unknown employer known as The Eye. They call themselves The Four Horseman. As they use their unique skills to pull off heists for public display and some strange purpose, Detective Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) chases them across America: from Vegas to New Orleans and New York as they perform their elaborate shows. Out of their league, Rhodes hires professional trick buster Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman) to bring the Four Horsemen in and find out if there is a fifth. Are the tricks magic or one grand illusion.
Now You See Me’s great cast (which also features Michael Caine – The Italian Job, The Dark Knight – and Melanie Laurent – Beginners, Inglourious) was unlikely to ever let it down. The Horsemen were smart, sharp and witty on screen and provoked many laughs (with Jesse Eisenberg stealing the show). Ruffalo was engaging and believable and there was no chance that Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine could disappoint.
The borderline between magic and practicality was obviously going to be a thin one to tread. The action cleverly uses tricks (the burning paper, the throwing of the cards) in a blend with some cracking punch-ups over the recent Hollywood over-usage of guns. Trick artists in the modern world is something that is yet to be captured on tape for movies. You only tend to see them performing on the streets (like our characters once did) or performing incredible (as in not especially credible) TV shows. Now You See Me does something original by bringing the world of Penn and Teller or Dynamo: Magician Impossible to the screen.
Some have criticised a lack of character development, a fair point that I disagree with. Dave Franco’s character Jack’s transition from amateur fan to a valued and strong fourth Horseman I found surprising to go unnoticed by critics.
Although it tries to stay within realism it does occasionally slip into some outrageous forethought and planning in one escape but (like Silva and his purposeful capture in Skyfall) it shouldn’t really be over thought for what is quite a clever bit of action.
The 2nd act becomes slightly more of a mediocre chase scenario and forgets the real set up from the 1st but the excellent mystery keeps us guessing till the end which is exactly what you want in a caper: a twist!
8/10
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