Now you see me rating1/3/2024 Leterrier's film trades in the nihilism of The Prestige - in favor of hopefulness - and shows how referencing "movie magic" can be captivating that is, without either coming off as self-congratulatory or waxing nostalgic about film artistry in an on-the-nose manner. Indeed, both of these seasoned Oscar-winners get to subvert expectations, by playing older gentlemen who are neither as admirable nor thoughtful as audiences have grown accustomed to seeing them be onscreen.īecause of that, Now You See Me isn't so much a character study - one set in the world of magicians - as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige instead, it approaches related subject matter from a very different angle and proves equally successful in certain regards. Similarly, there's fun to be had watching Michael Caine portray Arthur Tressler - who is the Four Horsemen's rich sponsor - and Freeman as Thaddeus. Ruffalo and Laurent are engaging as the protagonists, and their odd couple clash of wills - bumbling pessimism vs. Similarly, the inevitable "final reveal" is satisfying and doesn't have to scramble to bring greater significance to the proceedings instead, it caps off ideas and themes that are developed throughout the course of the story.Īs mentioned before, there's not a weak link in the film's cast. The various twists and turns along the way probably don't hold up perfectly under close-scrutiny - nor do they completely pull the blind over your eyes - but the guessing contest is fun to participate in on the way. Yakin and Ricourt wrote the Now You See Me script with Ed Solomon ( Men in Black, Charlie's Angels) and - similar to Yakin's screenplay for the Jason Statham thriller Safe - the film's narrative boils down to a cat and mouse game. Nonetheless, this film makes for pretty good popcorn entertainment - and (almost) demonstrates that Hollywood movies can still entrance, even in the age of frantic blockbusters stuffed full with hollow eye candy. Yet, Now You See Me falls short of being a majestic pop-art statement, as the film's action sequences and central set pieces aren't executed with quite enough finesse similarly, the basic attempts to spin a deeper mythology feels too much like an afterthought (or, rather, sequel fodder). The final movie result is a fun and exhilarating viewing experience, which features a charismatic band of actors and actresses - with good screen chemistry - to help and better communicate that underlying message. This gives rise to an interesting subtext about the enduring "magic" of movies, the purpose of art as entertainment, and the heightened importance of creative integrity in an age where cynical skepticism sells. The film's magician caper/heist storyline - which was engineered by Boaz Yakin ( Prince of Persia) and relative newcomer Edward Ricourt - works in unison with Leterrier's fine knowledge of cinematic technique. Now You See Me was directed by Louis Leterrier, the filmmaker responsible for the European pop-art hit The Transporter - as well as The Incredible Hulk and the Clash of the Titans remake.
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