Swaggering bank-robbing magicians the Four Horsemen are back for Now You See Me 2, a sequel to 2013’s flashy heist thriller that finds the quartet - illusionist Jesse Eisenberg, hypnotist Woody Harrelson, cardsharp Dave Franco and new recruit Lizzy Caplan – coerced by Daniel Radcliffe’s dodgy tech tycoon into pulling off the theft of a new data-mining device.
The globetrotting adventure that ensues turns out to be an incredibly convoluted affair. There are trips to Macau and London, and the return of several key figures from the first film, including Mark Ruffalo’s ace magician, still keeping up his pose as an FBI investigator; Michael Caine’s crooked businessman, the gang’s old enemy; and Morgan Freeman’s celebrity debunker, another of their foes. There’s even a double role for Harrelson, camping it up as his character’s villainous twin brother.
The movie’s razzle-dazzle showmanship is fun enough in the moment, but the feints and flourishes can’t disguise the fact that there’s little of substance underneath. See past the misdirection and sleight of hand and you’ll be left with the nagging suspicion that what’s been plucked from the hat is not a rabbit but a turkey.
Certificate 12. Runtime 123 mins. Director John M Chu
Now You See Me 2 is available on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Download from Entertainment One.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzZh8kJJwe4
