Old Magicians Can Learn New Tricks in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Come in closer. Closer. Because you are in for a show. After nearly a decade, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t marks an unexpected return to a rather unexpected franchise. It was 2013 when these vigilante illusionists first took the big screen- and the box office – by storm. This delayed third outing delves right back into the world of magic tricks and clever capers without missing a step. At the helm this time is director Ruben Fleischer, who has returned to the roots of what initially made these movies so alluring in the first place. Landing somewhere between Hollywood blockbuster and quirky popcorn flick, NYSM: NYD is a playful project intent on entertaining audiences with wonders of magic.
The passage of time has seen the Horsemen disappear deep underground. In the wake of their vanishing act, a new collection of amateurs have taken the stage. Youngster trio Charlie (Justice Smith), Bosco (Dominic Sessa), and June (Ariana Greenblatt) use the iconic reputation of the Horseman to stage their own Robin Hood-esque heist. Not only does their little show draw a crowd, but it catches the attention of one J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg). After giving these newcomers grief over their burgeoning talent, he reveals that the cryptic organization known as The Eye has selected them to assist in taking down the latest corporate evil. The target this time is Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), an internationally renowned but corrupt CEO of her father’s diamond empire. The pinnacle of this collection is the Heart Diamond, and these new Horsemen intend to steal it. And they aren’t the only ones. Their heist morphs into an accidental reunion as each of Atlas’s old friends – Jack (Dave Franco), Henley (Isla Fisher), and Merritt (Woody Harrelson) – arrive at the last minute to salvage their operation. From there, these two groups merge together in a joint effort to dismantle Veronika and her crime syndicate.
The original quartet has expanded their ranks to rival Ocean’s Eleven numbers in this third installment. The sheer amount of star power at work here has the potential to overwhelm any director. There are brief instances where the film strays into being stuffy and overcrowded. The cameo count itself begins to creep towards Marvel numbers at a certain point. With respect to Fleischer, he justifies each appearance with a practical role in the story. The blend of veteran actors and new kids on the block actually works well here. Rejoining the main cast is Isla Fisher, a welcome face after her previous absence. The returning Horsemen settle back into their roles with ease, perhaps partially because this franchise has never been overly concerned with characterization. Especially enjoyable is Eisenberg, who settles into role as the cocky, egotistical Atlas like it’s a second skin. Arguably the stand-out of these films, Eisenberg’s performance is refined by the newcomers. After his impressive debut in The Holdovers, it is delightful to see Sessa on-screen once again. He imbues a level of cockiness in Bosco that challenges Eisenberg on several occasions. Smith is delightfully awkward in a charming sort of way as Charlie, the ringleader of this trio. Throwing Gen Z jabs left and right is Greenblatt’s June, and she exudes confidence even when surrounded by her more experienced peers.
The tricks themselves are enjoyable enough, if not occasionally predictable. It is significantly harder to fool audiences with magic when the credit can easily be attributed to the effects department. For a film of this genre to operate successfully, it needs to remain just slightly ahead of its viewers. Just like its predecessors, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t holds back enough until the final moments. Then it’s time to pull the rabbit out of the hat. The first Now You See Me set the bar high in terms of dramatic reveals, which unfortunately has left its successors scrambling to reach the same heights. The conclusion is satisfying enough and rest assured the evildoers get their proper comeuppance.
In its third act, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t settles into the strange niche it inhabited all those years ago. There is nothing in particular that should explain the strange popularity of these movies. At its core, this film is simply too charming to entirely ignore. Even its glaringly obvious role as a catalyst for a future fourth addition only moderately dulls its appeal. The cast, both new and returning, breeze through each scene and appear to have a genuinely good time together. Combine a competent director, a strong ensemble, some playful hijinks, a dose of sentimentality, quick action sequences, and a few illusions, and there is a recipe for mediocre success here. Somehow, I doubt we have seen the last of this scrappy franchise.