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Going into a magic show, the audience hopes not only to be entertained but also to be fooled. Ideally the show should do both – perhaps they go hand in hand – as 2013’s “Now You See Me” did. Now Jon M Chu’s sequel hits cinemas, no doubt hoping to do the same, with most of the original cast returning for the even more ridiculous but equally fun “Now You See Me 2”.
Three of the original film’s Four Horsemen are back for the next instalment. Jesse Eisenberg’s Atlas, Woody Harrelson’s Merritt and Dave Franco’s Jack Wilder are joined by newcomer Lula (played by Lizzie Caplan who fills the vacancy left by Isla Fisher) as they stage a comeback performance one year after outwitting the FBI and performing a Robin Hood-esque heist. But their plans are derailed by Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe), who kidnaps the Horsemen and sets them the task of stealing a highly valuable, highly guarded computer chip. One thing leads to another and half-a-dozen magic tricks later the Four Horsemen must stage one last epic illusion to oust Mabry and set the record straight. Mark Ruffalo and Morgan Freeman are also among the main cast, both providing solid performances.
Similar to the first movie in tone and style, “Now You See Me 2” ups the ante by staging stunts that are even more ridiculous than those we saw the 2013 film. But, as the nonsensicality is upped, so too is the fun, and thus the absurdity of it all doesn’t really matter. As any good magician should, Chu makes us believe the unbelievable. Dazzling cinematography, sharp editing, some cool graphics and a catchy soundtrack combine with likeable characters to propel the story along at a punchy pace, with mind-boggling (despite unrealistic) magic stunts interspersed throughout the plot, leading to the finale.
Watching the first film will help you going in to the sequel, but you don’t have to have seen it in order to enjoy this instalment because, all in all, “Now You See Me 2” is just such fun. At times predictable, sometimes cringe-worthy, and usually just downright absurd, on paper “Now You See Me 2” shouldn’t work… but we look past all that because it’s so easy to enjoy.
Perhaps “Now You See Me 2” doesn’t always fool us, but boy is it a fun ride.
