An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.
Director: Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk, Transporter 2)
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Michael Canine, Morgan Freeman, Dave Franco
'The closer you look, the less you'll see', states Eisenberg to Ruffalo, as he's chained up and accused of abusing magic to rob a bank. He is one of the mischievous tricksters handpicked by some unknown person to perform a heist in front of a live audience.
Known as the Four Horsemen, Eisenberg, Fisher, Harrelson and Franco each have their own specialty that, combined, outsmart the local FBI and Interpol (mainly Ruffalo and Laurent), every step of the way by taking from the rich (notable Michael Caine) and giving to the poor.
Twist follows twist, all the way to the end. NYSM dapples not just the heist genre, but action and comedy. There's never been anything like this (and I've seen my fair share of films). It's innovative and sways a little from the repetitiveness seen in heist movies (Ocean's Trilogy) and deserves more credit where it's due.
Ruffalo's Detective Rhodes is an agitated, down-on-his-luck agent who, with Laurent's Alma Dray, always find themselves one step behind solving the crimes at hand.
NYSM leaves a trail of questions. How do they do it? This is not necessarily a bad thing. Eisenberg is quick and cunning as magicians are, Harrelson's character is an expert in danger territory and can hypnotise anyone almost instantly. Fisher is an escape artists and Franco is sharp down to a tee. Together they hatch, plan and make us guess.
The Four Horsemen's screen time is limited, and we find ourselves in pursuit of them more often than not. Although Now You See Me is unique, it's hard to get to grips with whether the FBI should be supported by the audience with their capture, or routing for the magicians' escape. It needs to delve deeper into the characters and their motives so that they are seen as Robin Hood-esque samaritans, rather than petty criminals poking fun at the FBI. The chopping and changing between the Magicians and their pursuers adds to the film losing focus.
Overview: It's hit and miss with the narrative, never knowing whether to side with the 'good' or 'bad' (whoever that may be), but it's innovative and a pleasure to watch. The twists and shocks will keep you entertained. You'll see nothing like it this year.
4/5
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