NOW YOU SEE ME (Louis Leterrier, 2013)

[tabuno]

Magicians don’t seem to have played much of a major role in the history of movies, outside the world of fantasy such as The Wizard of Oz (1939) or the Anthony Hopkin’s occult Magic (1978) that earned him a best actor Golden Globes nomination. This rare resurgence this year of magic with the beautiful 3-D fantasy film Oz The Great and Powerful (2013) or the less than well received hokey comedy movie The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) along with perhaps never to be released comedy Desperate Acts of Magic (2013) brings along with it this rare crime-thriller movie where magic forms the basis of the storyline of Now You See Me.

The screenwriter’s seem to have taken a lot from the television series Leverage (2008-2013) which itself won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Drama (2013) and oddly enough that show doesn’t use magic as its theme but uses creative deception and misdirection like a grifter in all its episodes for rebalancing the scales of justice. The most comparative magic-themed movies would include the more personally involved competition between two rival musicians in this psychological thriller between Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale in The Prestige (2006) and the period crime psychological, mystery thriller without the action The Illusionist (2006) which included its own powerfully surprising twist both which focused more on the human drama rather than on the spectacular crime mystery action thriller or even the more poignant and perhaps even more emotionally, more intimately personal and bitingly delightful performance of John Malkovich in The Great Buck Howard (2008).

Now You Can See Me suffers somewhat with its omission of a flashback at the beginning of the movie that sets the basis for this story and instead uses a present time narrative to eventually flesh out the back story which is a crucial element of the emotive humanity of the entire movie. Overall this movie is fast paced, with at least three major plot twists along with others and seemingly magical sequences that sometimes are rather predictable and at other times unexpected, but none that exceed that of the television episodes from Leverage or perhaps even the old Mission Impossible television series (1966-1973). This fusion of magic, crime, and psychological gaming becomes a who and how done it audience game on the big screen, even the opening sequence of the guessing the playing card number and suit by the theater-going audience gets them ooh and awe. It’s hard to disassemble this movie from many other clever action thrillers because the use of the magic theme is new and exciting like a new Disneyland ride and rarely used, if any on this level, as the actual part of a movie as opposed to actually making the movie. Nevertheless, the movie is refreshing and entertaining, keeping the audience interested and guessing throughout.

[oscar jubis]

Magicians don’t seem to have played much of a major role in the history of movies.

Georges Melies was a magician in more ways than one.

[tabuno]

I didn't pay enough attention to HUGO (2011) and realizing my failure to take History of Film in college.

[oscar jubis]

Melies envisioned film, at least initially, as an extension of his magic act. His experimentation with the medium, discovery of stop-motion and other techniques, had that express purpose. You know, making things seem to disappear in an instant, etc.

[tabuno]

Apparently actual magic in the movies was taken over by the very nature of the special effects of film making itself so that inherent in every movie there is a bit of magic, but that the content was fill up with other subject matter very rapidly. Thus, Melies would find himself unable to even get his films distributed much less made by the first decade of the 20th century.

[oscar jubis]

Preposterous! but like you say: fast-moving, so you go with the flow and find yourself entertained. I thought the best thing about it is Woody Harrelson's funny schtick.

[Chris Knipp]

I saw this movie but it was so disappointing I did not write a review. I just wrote this in my review of DECEPTIVE PRACTICE (Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay,):

But the trouble with magic in movies or movies about magic is that tricks lose their magic on the screen. This was the flaw, among others, of Louis Leterrier's jazzy and wholly disappointing new film, Now You See Me, about a group of magicians who join up to pull off a big heist. Especially in these post-CGI days, anything can be faked on a computer, so you have to see a magic act live in front of you. The flasher Now You See Me gets, the less it all matters, and it wastes eight or ten well-known actors. Ultimately the best thing about it is its snappy poster.

[tabuno]

My wife really loved this money and storyline. She raved about it. I found the movie entertaining, the plot twists nicely done. In listening to some of the movie's commentary it is based on many real magic tricks, though not all of it actually done on screen. Since this movie wasn't about a documentary about real magic, the expectation that all of the jazzy magic be real for this theatrical thriller for me is unnecessary. The standard of critical film appreciation that Chris sets is unrealistically high and likely unnecessary. Many, most movies nowadays incorporate some film technique that deviates from authentic reality.

While I enjoyed the movie, I haven't placed it in my top ranks of best movies of the year, but it certainly is watchable and thrilling regardless of the CGI. If that was the case, we might was well toss out most science fiction and fantasy films right now, or any film that isn't shot on location or set designs and period films.

[Johann]

Stanley Kubrick famously said:

THE SCREEN IS A MAGIC MEDIUM.

[oscar jubis]

As far as escapist, time-killing movies go, Now You See Me is not half-bad, does the job. I would only recommend it though, to someone who has not seen both THE ILLUSIONIST and THE PRESTIGE fairly recently (to name two really good, recent films with similar topic). Trust me when I say that both are thoroughly superior to NYSM, and more fun.

[Chris Knipp]

I don't know what "job" NOW YOU SEE ME does other than disappoint. It's a thoroughly fake, artificial, glitzy, mediocre movie. Why waste time excusing it? Watch those others, or DECEPTIVE PRACTICE; THE MYSTERIES AND MENTORS OF RICKY JAY.

[oscar jubis]

I watched it with 241 college students and most seemed to be having a good time. Tab and his wife enjoyed it. 80% of IMdb voters give it a score between 7 and 10. The movie may be mediocre but it entertains with its funny one-liners, its three awesome set pieces, and one surprising twist (but don't think about it too much). The movie provides the spectacle, bits of comedy, and preposterous action sequences that people seem to enjoy. Why knock it? No one is saying it's a great movie.