Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

A diamond heist reunites the retired Horsemen illusionists with a crew of new performers as they target dangerous criminals.

STORY: C

A kid can dream.

The film’s biggest trick of all is that the screenwriting team convinced me they were all 12 years old.

The story is the stuff of middle school wish fulfillment: being the smartest and coolest person in the room, defeating the baddies, saving the world, and basking in the oohs and ahhs of fans dazzled by your… magic.

This mix has its appeal, to be sure. It’s playful, silly, and over the top. But be warned that some of the edge that characterized the first two films has vanished.

PEOPLE: B

A new generation arrives.

The Horsemen come roaring back, their familiar charm worn on the outside of their sleeves and not hidden up them.

The new crew is made up of three of our most promising up-and-coming actors. Tapping Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Justice Smith ensures the franchise is in good hands when it inevitably reappears.

Rosamund Pike, who plays the evil Vanessa Vandeberg, knows exactly how young boys envision their villains: tough, smart, and with enough camp to fill a couple dozen national parks.

FILM NERD STUFF: D

Real magic is magic at its best.

Some of the magic is clearly CGI. These moments undercut the film’s authenticity. How are we supposed to see these people as true magicians when we know the illusion came from a VFX lab?

Conversely, when we see the actors legitimately performing magic, the movie bursts with life. There’s a scene at the midpoint - think a rap battle where magic tricks fly around instead of bars - that thrills.

Sure, it’s still just a bunch of tricks, but the people tricking us are on camera. That makes the action kinetic and affecting.

ONE BIG LESSON: C

Kids, mind your elders. (And vice-versa)

Most of the film’s comedy comes from the tension between the original Horsemen and the newbs. The young’uns idolize the older generation, but they also insist on carving their own path. The Horsemen bounce back and forth between being mentors and being impressed.

The best way forward - in magic and in life - is to be both. Take a “two things can be true” approach. We need both in order to grow.

FINAL COMMENTS:

I’m sure that the filmmakers envisioned this film as a step forward from its predecessors. Bigger stakes. Bigger heists. Bigger tricks.

I don’t know if it achieved any of those things. But while it’s not a step forward, I don’t think it’s a misstep. I found it a fun linchpin in the franchise, paving the way for the next generation of wizards and pickpockets. Not a showstopper, but not a stumble either.