Now You See Me: Now You Don't - A Mystically Magical Heist

Heading Onstage

Some magicians pull rabbits out of hats, others wave a wand and spawn flowers. But these illusionists are pulling off the greatest trick of all: stealing a diamond! Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is the third installment of the star-studded Now You See Me franchise, which began back in 2013. These movies are known for their combination of action and suspense, particularly in their unique setpieces and preposterous, but enjoyable, magic tricks the characters use to pull them off. Though the first two installments earned mixed reviews from critics, the franchise found a dedicated audience which led to their financial successes. 

Talks for a third Now You See Me film go all the way back to 2015, before the second installment even hit theaters. But the project lingered in development limbo for quite some time, particularly due to circumstances like a change in director and screenwriter. Now, the illusionists are finally back on the big screen, ready to put on another show to thunderous applause from their audience. In fact, the film’s dedicated fans helped it to top the box office – where it earned $21 million – despite continued mixed reviews from critics.

Personally, I consider myself a casual fan of the Now You See Me franchise, in how I can have a lot of fun with the movies, but can’t ignore the many faults they behold. In general, the two predecessors have succeeded in entertaining me, but sport many issues in their screenplays which ultimately impact their quality. Even so, I was optimistic for Now You Don’t, especially as it introduces new characters to the series and held plenty of promise in its action scenes – which were teased in the trailers. I was looking for a good time at the movies, and I thought this film could absolutely deliver on providing entertainment. 

On Thursday, Nov. 13, I performed my own trick – disappearing from the Centenary campus and reappearing at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield – to catch the star-studded spectacle on the big screen. As the magicians took their final bows, I was left with one question: did this movie live up to its predecessors in entertainment, or was it as enjoyable as stumbling onstage during a grand performance?

Unlocking the Illusion

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t focuses on a group of magicians known as the Four Horsemen, who separated following the events of Now You See Me 2. In their wake, a new trio of up-and-coming tricksters have taken the stage, performing shows similar to their predecessors in a move which catches the attention of J. Daniel Atlas – the leader of the Horsemen. Seeing their potential, he enlists their help in pulling off a heist: stealing a coveted jewel known as the Heart Diamond from a money-laundering matriarch. The heist turns into a race against time to secure the diamond, between the reunited Horsemen – both old and new – and a league of dangerous criminals hunting them down.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer – who also helmed Zombieland, Venom, and Uncharted – the film features a talented cast full of big names, including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Justice Smith, Ariana Greenblatt, Dominic Sessa, Rosamund Pike, and Morgan Freeman among others. 

Much like its predecessors, this film excels in being an entertaining ride full of clever action scenes and circumstances. However, it also sports issues similar to its predecessors, particularly in the way it approaches its story. The main plot itself, though interesting in concept, is flawed in execution, primarily in how it miraculously feels both basic and crowded. 

The main plot itself is rather standard, playing out as a basic heist movie for the majority of the runtime. Though it remains engaging thanks to onscreen antics, it was still fairly easy to see what the movie was doing and what was going to happen next. Meanwhile, there are various subplots – including the conflicting relationship between the old and new Horsemen, occasional phone calls between the villain and an unknown perpetrator, and personal character arcs – which add a lot more to the plot, maybe even a bit too much. 

Make no mistake, there are plenty of great moments and character interactions which stem from these side plots as well, but the movie introduces a lot of information which can be difficult to keep track of, especially with how much goes on throughout the story. The resulting screenplay is fascinating, as it feels like it has too much going on, and yet not enough to really stand its own ground. 

Granted, the script does still have some merit, primarily in occasional plot twists which occur at given points of the movie, primarily the ending. Since this franchise centers on magicians, it’s fitting that not everything is as it seems, resulting in refreshingly unpredictable moments to keep viewers on edge. When it reaches its conclusive act and the grand reveal occurs, I’ll admit that I did widen my eyes in surprise. This ultimately adds a satisfying payoff to the otherwise messy plot, especially as the film delves into why and how everything leads to that particular moment. 

But for the most part, the story bogs the movie down by quite a bit, as the general simplicity of the main plot almost completely negates stakes from the pictures. Whenever an action scene or intense scenario is introduced, it excels in entertainment, but due to the predictable nature of the story, it’s very easy to tell what the direction the film will be taking, no matter what way it decides to approach it. 

Because of this, it was hard for me to really feel frightened for the characters or worried for their safety, albeit with one exception midway through. This lack of stakes ultimately adds to the overall basic nature, taking away a much-needed layer of intensity and making it hard for me to really feel for any of the characters. 

Tricks Up Their Sleeves

Even though the screenplay is extremely faulty, I would be lying if I said I didn't have fun watching this movie. For what it’s worth, this movie is just like its predecessors in how it puts entertainment in the spotlight to ensure audiences have a fun time, though at the expense of a well-crafted story. Part of that engagement value comes from the cast both old and new, all of whom provided strongly committed performances with a heavy emphasis on chemistry. 

The primary standouts were the original Four Horsemen – portrayed by Eisenberg, Harrelson, Franco, and Fisher. Much like their previous adventures, the cast works expertly with each other in delivering dialogue in a natural and even realistic manner. 

Tensions are even raised a bit between them as the film explores why they initially separated, introducing a minor but still engaging set of odds amongst the protagonists. As the film progresses and they become more accustomed with each other again, their dialogue becomes more lighthearted as they logically piece together their predicament, adding to the overall enthrallment as their respective energies become more prominent – I primarily enjoyed Eisenberg’s quick thinking and occasional wit as Atlas, along with Harrelson’s more humorous approach his character, Merritt McKinney.

The new cast members do greatly as well, cementing themselves as strong series additions through their onscreen presence and deliveries. For example, Pike portrays the film’s main antagonist in a perfectly charming-yet-condescending way. Meanwhile, the new trio of tricksters who help the Horsemen – played by Smith, Greenblatt, and Sessa – also do an effective job, particularly in the way they interact with each other. Much like their mentors, their chemistry feels natural as they support and pick on each other early throughout the film, while truly showcasing their care for one another during the second half of the film. 

The only issue with the new characters is how they aren’t quite as impactful as the original Horsemen, despite their strong chemistry. This largely comes from some faults in the writing, primarily in the case of Sessa’s character, Bosco Leroy. Though he interacts well with his costars, I actually found Leroy’s character to be a bit unlikable in his personality. His rebellious nature ultimately leads to lines delivered which can feel overbearing, particularly in the first half of the feature. Plus, though Smith and Greenblatt were much more likable, they have their own basic character arcs which result in them feeling mostly generic. Their strong chemistry saves them from being forgettable or unbearable, but these characters feel a bit one-note in their delivery despite the promise they have. 

Abracadabra

Without a shadow of a doubt, the best aspect of this entire film aligns with the rest of the franchise: the action and setpieces. This is where the movie truly excels in providing entertainment, making it worth attending just for these sequences alone. There is no shortage of action in this movie, whether it’s something as simple as an onstage performance or as complex as a full-blown fight between good and evil. In any context, this is where the film’s creative side truly shines, making for the most well-crafted scenes in the entire feature.

The locations the characters explore are plentiful, leading to many opportunities for strong action environments. The film experiments with many different types of action like hand-to-hand combat and chase scenes. As a result, the variety of the picture shines through as it finds new and refreshing ways to prevent the action from feeling stale. Whether it’s a car chase on crowded streets, a tense brawl in a rotating room, or a complex scheme to steal a coveted diamond, this movie takes every chance it can to provide an action-packed viewing experience full of variety.

My favorite part about these scenes and the overall creativity behind them is the way the film implements magic into its setpieces. Seeing how the primary characters are illusionists, it makes sense that most of the action and heist scenes would revolve around their skills and knowledge in the field. As such, the film borders on the line between fantasy and reality as situations play out which seem preposterous and unfathomable, only for the movie to showcase how certain elements culminate into certain moments. It adds a great sense of engagement as audiences are left to wonder how the action plays out or what tricks the Horsemen have up their sleeves, adding the slightest bit of stakes to the otherwise mediocre story. 

This approach leads to some of the most creative action scenes in the entire franchise, as it keeps the combat real through committed fight choreography while finding ways to exaggerate through varied magic tricks and environment interactions. If there’s one thing I have always liked about the Now You See Me franchise, it’s that they are great  at finding creative ways to implement the character’s skills into intense situations. Now You Don’t is no different from this principle, as it provides the grandest outlet for the film to implement its creativity, making up for the predictable plot by having fun with what it presents. 

The Diamond in the Rough

Overall, despite its flawed story, subpar side characters, and lack of stakes from its predictability, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t excelled in entertaining me through its natural cast chemistry, great performances, creative utilization of magic, and engaging action scenes. These factors combined appropriately bring this franchise back into the limelight, remaining entertaining without overcomplicating itself.

If you like the heist/crime genre, Fleischer’s previous films, or the previous two Now You See Me films, I’d recommend giving this movie a watch. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is currently performing its tricks at theaters across the nation, including in Mansfield at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas. If you want to see a film that exaggerates logic and provides strong entertainment, this is an effective choice for your next watch.

This movie may not be without its faults, but its emphasis on providing an enjoyable experience resulted in a successful illusion which kept me enthralled the entire runtime. 

My Rating