The master illusionists from the surprisingly popular 2013 film Now You See Me are returning in a larger than life slight-of-hand caper in one very over-the-top sequel. Returning for a second shot at wowing us with magic genius is Mark Ruffalo as the leader for The Four Horsemen. Making up the team of tricksters is Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, and new team member Lizzy Caplan. The stakes are higher for Now You See Me 2 as the merry band of conjurers come together on another Robin Hood quest to stop bad rich guys from taking advantage of an unsuspecting public. The take from the rich and give to the poor theme still runs strong through the next chapter for The Four Horsemen as they set out on a mission that will take them from America to China, and even to England. Filled with the unbelievable and absurd, does Now You See Me 2 give moviegoers a pull the rabbit out of the hat blockbuster, or does it just pull back the curtain to reveal a lackluster show?
Villainous incognito millionaire Walter Mabry (Danielle Radcliffe) kidnaps and blackmails Danny (Jesse Eisenberb), Merritt (Woody Harrelson), Jack (Dave Franco), and Lula (Lizzy Caplan) into stealing a chip that will decode data stored in all electronic devices. The chip will give Walter access to information which will make the elusive computer geek a very powerful man. Meanwhile Dylan (Mark Ruffalo) is desperately trying to find out what happened to his group while trying to stay one step ahead of bumbling FBI agents trying to capture The Four Horsemen.
Our charming sorcerers display skills that Harry Houdini could only dream of. Loaded with snazzy, slick, and highly stylized magical stunts, Now You See Me 2 offers up some pretty far-fetched moments that, although pretty ridiculous and laughable, actually prove to be very entertaining. Thrown into the mix is a pretty fun fight scene in a Chinese market, a motorcycle chase, and a razzle-dazzle heist of the century. There is (of course) a grand finale stunt that fools the villains and a hokey explanation as to how that biggest trick of all gets pulled off.
Mark Ruffalo looks like he just rolled out of bed throughout the entire film and is not nearly as strong in his character as the rest of the cast. Lizzy Caplan gets to show off as a sassy wisecracking female character, which is a welcome change to this sequel. Jesse Eisenberg continues strong as the fast-talking mastermind behind all the magic tricks. Woody Harrelson provides some humorous moments playing not one but two characters, and Dave Franco continues to impress with his quick hands flicking playing cards at lightning speed. Daniel Radcliffe, sporting loafers and stylish suits, looks like he is having a blast playing a nefarious greedy technology tycoon.
There is a lot of cheesy and silly dialogue in the film and some very choppy moments that disrupt the flow of the story. There is a reveal in the narrative that a mastermind, whose identity is secret, has been keeping a watchful eye on The Four Horsemen. With no real explanation of who the mastermind is, it only leaves the moviegoer confused in the end. The FBI running around like chickens with their heads cut off are pretty much unnecessary, distracting and serve no real purpose. Playing the antagonist from the preceding film, Morgan Freeman winds up giving a fairly nonsensical explanation of his role in the magic tale that pretty much throws everything off kilter and messes up the ending. Now You See Me 2 combines goofy, silly, wacky, and outlandish events… and then abracadabra – audiences still manage to get some delightful fun out of magical mischief before the curtain drops and The Four Horsemen disappear.
