Now You See Me 2: Magic, not all the way

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Daniel Radcliffe, Morgan Freeman

Rated: 6/10

As a sequel, this magic heist is, well, magic. The four Horsemen are there to regale you with their antics in a cross-continent thriller as the four disappear into thin air through a terrace pipe to land all the way away in Macau. Not that they planned it or saw it coming. But once in Macau, they are made to steal the snoopiest microchip in the world by none other than Daniel Radcliffe (without the Potter magic of course) in bargain to their freedom.

That’s the premise, but the film scores most on pace which never ever ebbs as the Horsemen, same old men from last time, with an addition of a vivacious girl with the fame of having taken out a hat from a rabbit eight long years ago, doing the tricks.

The film directed by Jon M Chu who has in his pocket films like Step Up 3D and GI Joe: Retaliation and does a pretty decent job of NYSML2 marrying hi-tech action with the basics of good old magic. Mark Ruffalo and Morgan Freeman lead the rigmarole even as the other Horsemen, along with Jesse Eisenberg, weave a web of make-believe so compelling that you get sucked into the vortex till you realise you are being fooled more than being regaled.

The film has too much of CGIs that mar the magic tricks even though the sequel boasts of no less a legend than David Copperfield himself being on board and advising the script of the film. The thriller, this time, is more about the compulsions of the Horsemen to find an escape route and Ruffalo digging the past wherein his Houdouni-like father couldn’t escape an ocean trick from a locked chest for which he blames and incarcerates Freeman for 18 months. As an FBI agent on the run for apparent misdemeanours, Ruffalo and his salt-and-pepper beard are pretty arresting as are the set piece tricks in the middle of a runaway theft thriller. On the whole,NYSM2 is an engaging sequel. 

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 19 June, 2016