Rating of
3/4
These Tricks Sure Are a Treat
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/30/13
I'm sure that if you look closely (as the film suggests in the opening) you will be able to pick apart the flaws in this fun caper - but I don't like to over-analyze things. Now You See Me just provides a great time - and features a killer cast - in one of the more enjoyable films I have seen in 2013.
The film opens as a group of four different street magicians - an arrogant illusionist, a past-his-prime mentalist, a former assistant turned escape artist and a sleight-of-hand thief - all are observed by mysterious hooded man and each receive a Tarot card marked with an eye symbol. After going to the location, a brilliant hologram leads them to their next endeavor.... one year later the Four Horsemen - as they are now a joint magic act - are wowing the crowd in Vegas by making money in Paris bank rain down on the crowd.
These four people are played by Jesse Eisenberg (as the arrogant one - still channeling a bit of that smarmy superiority that served him well in The Social Network), Woody Harrelson - as the mentalist who has bounced back from being nearly ruined by his brother - Isla Fisher - looking very pretty (and not given nearly enough to do, unfortunately) and Dave Franco as the young pickpocket/lockpick/card-throwing maniac. But that's just the start - Mark Ruffalo plays the gruff FBI agent assigned to the case who has no time for magic, but never seems to be ahead of the game. He's saddled with an Interpol Agent - played by Melanie Laurent, who is, unlike Ruffalo, very much into the whole magic thing. You have Morgan Freeman playing a man known for debunking magicians (and ruining lives in the process) who wants nothing more than to make a new stash of cash by revealing all the Four Horsemen's tricks. And Michael Caine as the rich benefactor who has given the Horsemen means to their current popularity.
That's a huge cast - you also have Common and Michael Kelly along in supporting roles as well. Even though some actors aren't given enough screen time in my opinion - for the most part the film does a very fine job of balancing out this talented cast. Chasing after these magicians is as much fun as finding out what they are going to do next - one minute it's raining cash from a Paris bank, the next they are emptying the account of their supposed benefactor and giving it to the people he screwed over. There is a big reveal in the end (and, in my opinion, a bit more foreshadowing would have been appreciated) but since this is all about misdirection and illusion - the end wasn't all that surprising.
What is great is that it does a great job of mixing in humor, action and even drama - and, once again, the balance it strikes is pretty astounding on its own. It doesn't get too bogged down in procedure, nor does it get too wacky with the comedy or too over-the-top with the action (even the car chase scene felt like a good fit). Yes, there are simply some things that don't make a lot of sense if you think too deeply (emptying a bank account of millions of dollars can't be that easy, right?) but if you sit back and relax and don't get too uptight, this is a near perfect film. The ending does seem to stretch things a bit - but stay tuned for the DVD extra scene - we may be getting a sequel (and considering how well the movie performed - that's not magic, its a near given... if you can get all the actors back again).
This movie has a bit of everything wrapped up in one nice package. It may not quite be as smart as it wants to be, but in the end something this enjoyable doesn't have to try too hard.
