Now You See Me

Going to see “Now You See Me” is a lot like watching the magic tricks the film glorifies. It moves so quickly that even though you know you had fun, you aren’t completely sure as to what just happened.

And therein lies the film’s biggest problem.

Director Louis Leterrier presents us with a film that sprints so fast through its paces that while there’s a whole lot plot in the film, there isn’t room for much else. There’s little to no character development, no time to stop and smell the aesthetic beauty that the film so wholeheartedly deserved. It’s just a bullet-speed, sleight-of-hand buildup to a not-completely-satisfying twist.

Don’t get me wrong, the film has a lot to praise. The ensemble cast does an excellent job in their respective roles, notably Jesse Eisenberg in classic form, with his fast-talking, condescending-yet-lovable arrogance. However, the cast is given a script that lacks much depth. The dialogue is stale, and we never really end up caring for any of the characters.

The razzle-dazzle of the onscreen magic itself, however, is where “Now You See Me” shines. Sitting in the audience, I felt like a kid at a circus, exclaiming audibly and involuntarily with glee at the showy tricks and illusions the four leads would tightly choreograph on their larger-than-life stages.

The film ends up being a meta of itself, panning us in so tightly on the action that we never see the big picture. This is not necessarily a good thing. It was handled sloppily. The twist doesn’t get the sought after reaction, and we never really understand the purpose of the main characters’ Robin Hood motives.

Nevertheless, once you get past the bright lights and the smoke and mirrors, you realize that the film lacks much substance. Granted, for being a summer blockbuster flick, that’s not a terrible thing. I wasn’t going into this movie expecting Schindler’s List. “Now You See Me” gave me the fun I want out of a summer flick, and even though it’s not going on any Top 10 list anytime soon, it’s a great couple hours of enjoyable yet forgettable summer blockbuster...magic.