Movie Review: Now You See Me..isn’t magical but shows you a good time..

Magic has always had a certain allure. To watch the unexpected unravel before your very eyes and the burning curiosity as to how the trick was achieved in the first place, can pretty much consume you. Thus, movies built on magic tricks are expected to shock and awe. It is not so much whether they reveal the trick (as in The Prestige) or they hide the secret (as in The Illusionist) that enthralls you. Its more so the entire act and the way it is built up.

Now You See Me had pretty much one of the best trailers I have seen in recent times. With an intriguing title, a stellar star cast and just the right glimpses woven beautifully in a limited sequence, this movie quickly climbed to the very top of the ‘must-watch’ list this season, basis the trailer itself. After having finally seen the movie though, I am bound to be a tad less euphoric

If you go in with low expectations, Now You See Me can be a lot of fun. Plot development is the focus from the get-go and you are hooked from the start. The tricks and performances are dazzling and you yearn to know how it was done. The Four Horsemen, as they are known, don’t miss a trick and they are able to hold their audience (both, in-movie and the real audience) in a daze, of sorts. However, if you expect to be told who the Four Horsemen really are, whether they get along with each other, what is their past etc. you are bound to be disappointed

To put it simply, the movie lacks depth. The smoke n mirrors is interesting but there’s little that lies beyond. The movie also seems to intend to strike an emotional chord but does so only fleetingly. The use of CGI is more than liberal though, to be fair, the effects get the pulse soaring. The trailer of this movie probably gives away one trick too many and that’s a pity because at least as you approach the final act you expect to be surprised. Still, despite that there are plenty of shocks and thrills to keep you interested. The writing and dialogues are razor sharp as is the editing of some of the action sequences. The movie uses interesting lines like ‘the closer you look, the lesser you’ll really see’ but doesn’t leverage them into the plot itself, not convincingly at least, which is a pity

In terms of the cast itself, you could scarcely ask for a better group of stalwarts – Jesse Eisenburgh has tremendous screen presence, Isla Fisher looks striking; Morgan Freeman plays a role that is all too easy for a veteran like him. The real acting is required off Mark Ruffalo and he too doesn’t disappoint, though in some sequences, he could do better. Still the movie is less about these or any characters. It’s the story and plot development all the way

Its not in the league of Illusionist or The Prestige so don’t go expecting that. It doesn’t delve deeper into magic, question it or give you a glimpse into the  lives of its performers as such. In fact, without giving too much away, the movie is less about magic than about other events. Try to know as little as you can about the movie and go in with low expectations – then and only then can you enjoy this show