The Horsemen return in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, to right some wrongs with magic.
The original Now You See Me (2013) Horsemen- J. Daniel Atlas (played by Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt
McKinney (played by Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (played by Isla Fisher) and Jack Wilder (played by Dave Franco) team up with three young illusionists, broadening the ensemble cast. The onscreen chemistry works well as the old guard reconnect with each other and skilled newbies June (played by Ariana Greenblatt), Charlie (played by Justice Smith), and Bosco (played by Dominic Sessa).
Together, they’re on a mission to do what the Horsemen do best- bring down wealthy, powerful
bad guys using the power of illusion. Rosamund Pike plays duplicitous diamond heiress
Veronkia Vanderberg who’s intent on keeping family secrets, protecting her wealth and her
reputation. Vanderberg is the big boss, who the Horsemen can only defeat once they figure out
how to work together. With the aid of Thaddeus Bradley (played by Morgan Freeman) and Now You See Me 2 (2016) addition Lula (played by Lizzy Caplan), the team have their best chance.
Despite a growing cast, the film manages to find its groove, balancing the individual backstories
and talents of most of the Horsemen. This is at the expense of Lula, who is critical in helping the
team when they are in over their heads, but takes somewhat of a back seat in the last half of the
film. The dialogue has thankfully stayed away from the sometimes cringy lines Merritt McKinney
was stuck with in the original film, but still didn’t dazzle. There’s no shortage of action though,
and June, Charlie and Bosco are great, well cast character additions bringing fresh energy to
the franchise.
As expected, the Horsemen’s creative heists are action packed, laced with humor and full of
Robinhood vibes. The Horsemen are not about enriching themselves. Rather, they aim to right
wrongs, expose injustice, separate shady businesses from their ill-gotten gains, and spread the
wealth. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t does a good job celebrating classic magic show elements-
funhouse style distorted rooms, puzzles and escapes along with the flashy, modern illusions
these films do so well. A big part of the fun of these films is trying to solve the puzzles and work
out the tricks. A big part of their charm is tying the mysteries behind the magic to the pot twists,
and slowly revealing both for an exciting movie experience.
In theaters November 14th. I rate this film (2.5/4) 🍿
Interviews with cast members:
