{"id":2649,"date":"2013-07-04T19:32:01","date_gmt":"2013-07-04T19:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=2649"},"modified":"2013-07-04T19:32:39","modified_gmt":"2013-07-04T19:32:39","slug":"now-you-see-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/action\/now-you-see-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Now You See Me ***"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Best way to describe Louis Leterrier\u2019s new thriller is a \u2018magical Ocean\u2019s Eleven<\/em>\u2019. It has the gloss, the sassy style, the balls and a little extra, magic. But with all the tricks up its confident sleeve, it\u2019s still not a pitch-perfect performance, racing away a lot of the time like the director\u2019s Transporter<\/em> films to create an illusion of a well-plotted crime caper. With so many twists and turns, it becomes bloated and wasteful, however much fun we have going along for the ride and watching the cast enjoy their moment in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

After 30 million euros goes missing from a Parisian bank vault in an elaborate magic trick done simultaneously in Las Vegas, and that money then showers a stunned audience, FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) reluctantly teams up with Interpol agent Alma Dray (M\u00e9lanie Laurent) to track down the illusive Four Horsemen magicians (played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco). However, as with their magic, nothing is as it seems as the authorities play a cat-and-mouse game.<\/p>\n

Without delving too deeply, Leterrier\u2019s story is initially a highly intriguing one: the idea of magicians who are criminals. Indeed, both are conmen, which should make the former the best robbers in the world, surely? Indeed, the tricks they perform are pretty exciting to watch, done with the backing of serious money (supplied by shady capitalist Arthur Tressler, played by Michael Caine). However, when you finally get to the bottom of why the foursome is doing what it\u2019s doing, the story verges on the farcical and whimsical. Indeed, Leterrier taps into the supernatural a little in some scenes so it\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess where things will go next and how far from the original \u2018crime story\u2019 it promises, things will venture. One thing\u2019s for sure, it will get there quick \u2013 as is the favoured editing style.<\/p>\n

There are some troublesome flaws that cheapen the self-assured, visual affair, such as what exactly is the personal mystery\/gain surrounding Dray (this is suggested but never taken anywhere). Could this subplot have fallen victim to the cutting room? If the great Thaddeus Bradley (another magician played by Morgan Freeman) were so accomplished, surely he would have been tempted to be as dishonest as the Horsemen whose tricks he wants to expose, rather than go through all the trouble to make a buck? Also, in terms of real facts, there is no Interpol international police force in operation, a common but endlessly glamorised error in most Hollywood thrillers.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, all the cast put on their best performances that we associate them with; from Eisenberg\u2019s gift of the gab to Freeman\u2019s natural mystique, so there is a lot to be satisfied by. There is also an underlying \u2018kick in the teeth\u2019 for authority and the moneymen who pull the strings, a revenge element that is also very pleasing.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s just it: Now You See Me<\/em> is a crowd pleaser not a cerebral thriller full of clever ideas, and its convoluted plot weakens its momentum that could be razor sharp and nippy.<\/p>\n

3\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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