Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you like any of the cast members, yes.
Score: 3.5/5
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 129 minutes (~2.25 hours)
“Now You See Me 2” is a caper film that’s the sequel to 2013’s “Now You See Me.” It features the return of the Four Horsemen, vigilante magicians who expose corrupt individuals and organisations, as they go up against their most conniving foe yet. It stars Jesse Eisenberg (Danny Atlas), Mark Ruffalo (Dylan Rhodes), Woody Harrelson (Merritt McKinney, Chase McKinney), Dave Franco (Jack Wilder), Lizzy Caplan (Lula May), Daniel Radcliffe (Walter Mabry), Jay Chou (Li), Michael Caine (Arthur Tressler), and Morgan Freeman (Thaddeus Bradley). It is rated PG.
If you like superheroics, you’ll like “Now You See Me 2.” It’s like watching superheroes with illusionist powers – each Horsemen specialises in a certain aspect of magic, and that’s made incredibly evident in this sequel. But as with all superhero teams, only when they work together can they overcome the most dastardly of foes. All they need are capes and colourful costumes, and this could very well be a superhero movie.
Highlights
Good chemistry between the Horsemen
Even with newcomer Lula May (Lizzy Caplan), the Horsemen are so comfortable with each other that their exchanges even have a rhythm to them. The ease at which they find each other speaks to a good onscreen chemistry between the four, and really underscores the fact that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. They bounce off each other’s energy so naturally that for a moment, you might really believe they are a group of tight-knit magicians in real life.
Performance aspect
Their magic tricks are always done with great showmanship and marvellous flair, resulting in an enjoyable showcase of illusions. And the great part about their magic is that it’s effectively superpowers that can be replicated by normal humans, ie, us. Their illusions are as much trickery as it is a performance, and when they play to a crowd, who they’re really playing to is us, the audience. It’s this entertainment element of the magic in “Now You See Me 2” that makes it so enjoyable to watch.
Fast-paced
Every character is either the subject of a magic trick, or explaining/listening to an explanation of how the magic trick is done. No boring exposition is ever given, because it’s all integrated into a trick that you didn’t even know was happening before your very eyes. It might be a tad long, but it doesn’t feel like a two hour film thanks to the action and rapid twists and turns of the plot.
Letdowns
Too many plot holes
Where did Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine) come from again? How are the Horsemen able to move so quickly and easily in public? Is it really that feasible to perform some of the tricks in the film? Luckily, the film’s quick pacing means that you never have the time to stop and think about some of the lapses of logic in “Now You See Me 2.” But take some time to reflect on the events of the movie, and you’ll realise that many of the events were contrivances that were snuck past you. Just like in a real magic show.
Dylan Rhodes and Thaddeus Bradley’s story doesn’t work
Their backstory and connection is tenuous at best. While their backgrounds are intertwined, there’s never any genuine animosity between the pair. It seems like a forced rivalry via a retcon, and you’re always expecting some sort of twist in their interactions. It’s the oddest, most unnatural part of “Now You See Me 2,” and in hindsight it wasn’t even necessary as a plot device either.
“Now You See Me 2” is like a superhero movie with magicians.
“Now You See Me 2” opens in cinemas 16 June, 2016 (Thursday).
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