Nearly a decade after the heist thriller’s sequel, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” welcomes back The Four Horsemen, a group of vigilante magicians I desperately wish were real.
“Now You Three Me”, as actor Dave Franco affectionately called it, was released on Nov. 14 and chronicles a mix of old and new Horsemen embarking on their biggest trick yet. With a new generation of illusionists at their side, the world’s most prolific group of magicians work to expose the corruption of a diamond heiress (portrayed by the villainous Rosamund Pike) and her money laundering schemes.
The threequel is directed by Ruben Fleischer, a filmmaker who has worked with the film’s lead actors Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson since his first feature film, “Zombieland.” The first two films in the series were directed by Louis Leterrier (“The Incredible Hulk”) and Jon M. Chu (“Wicked”), respectively.
I was excited for the franchise to return but skeptical watching the trailer, particularly as new faces appeared on screen. I feared the younger characters would interrupt the iconic lineup that Eisenberg, Harrelson, Franco and Isla Fisher created.
But the young Horsemen proved to be a charming bunch of misfits, portrayed by emerging actors Ariana Greenblatt, Justice Smith and Dominic Sessa.
Their characters are often underestimated and even belittled by the older generation of magicians. But dynamics like the ones between Smith’s character, Charlie, and Fisher’s character, Henley Reeves, are heartfelt.
Charlie, the timid man-behind-the-scenes of his friends’ magic group, relates to feeling unseen, much like Reeves did during her time performing with Eisenberg’s J. Daniel Atlas. But don’t be too convinced of Charlie’s meek personality, as his role turns out to be quite significant in the plot of the film.
Since “Now You See Me 2” was released in 2016, the franchise’s cinematography has evidently improved, and many scenes in the threequel are dizzying but visually striking. Though special effects have come a long way, the actors still learn many of the magic tricks themselves, just as they always have, to make the illusions feel that much more real.
“Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” is full of the dramatic and slightly corny moments characteristic of the previous two films but still offers plenty of gripping and satisfying magic. It’s hard to top the card toss scene in the sequel, though.
Eisenberg reprises his role as Atlas, a character who leans into his sour side in “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” The actor is known for his awkward and dorky characters — a trait that makes him one of my favorites — but in his latest film, Eisenberg fully embodies the control freak Atlas can be.
The lead magician has been a smart-aleck since the beginning of the franchise, but in the threequel, Atlas is often a jerk, especially at the expense of the newbies. Between feeling intimidated by the new recruits and jealous of Reeves’s new romance, Atlas comes across as insensitive during much of the film.
He also uncharacteristically refers to the other characters as “man” quite a bit.
But Merritt McKinney, portrayed by Harrelson, remains as hilarious and likeable as ever. Full of clever quips and an amusing ignorance to the young characters’ lifestyles, McKinney is, as he always has been, the witty comic relief.
But for the first time in the series, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” shows McKinney’s more vulnerable side at times.
Franco reprises his role as the heartthrob card thrower Jack Wilder, and Fisher, having been replaced in the sequel, returns as the sexy escape artist.
Though I was happy to see the leading lady return to the series, my favorite character comeback was Lula May, the sole “Horsewoman” of “Now You See Me 2.” Her reprisal was alluded to at the NYC premiere of the film, when actress Lizzy Caplan graced the red carpet.
A cameo that didn’t make the cut was Alma Dray, a French Interpol agent from the first film. Seeing as some of “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” was actually set in Paris, it seemed like a missed opportunity for some nostalgia.
While the plot of the film didn’t feel unlike many crime heist movies, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” had innovative illusions and more intense action than the previous movies.
Unfortunately, the big plot twist at the end didn’t land well and felt complicated and rushed. And nothing quite compares to the curveball at the end of the first film.
As a cameo at the film’s conclusion alludes to, the illusionists are just getting started and will have yet another trick up their sleeve.
While it doesn’t beat its predecessors in the “Now You See Me” franchise, films rich with 2010s nostalgia, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” is one of the rare series that I hope sticks around. But be mindful of Atlas’s mantra when watching: "The closer you think you are, the less you'll actually see."
Contact Isabel Kraby at ikraby@alligator.org. Follow her on X @isabelgkraby.
Isabel is a general assignment reporter for The Avenue and is starting her first semester with The Alligator. She is a junior journalism student and transferred to UF from Daytona State College after her freshman year. When she's not writing for Ave, she loves going to concerts, crocheting and designing spreads for Rowdy Magazine.
