Review: Now You See Me

I really like Jesse Eisenberg. I thought his performance in The Social Network was out of this world awesome.  I also really like Mark Rufalo.  His roles in The Avengers, and Just Like Heaven proved how great of an actor he can be.  I even like Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson! And, needless to say, I adore Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, two of the greatest actors of their generation.

All this adoration leads up to my excitement for a hugely anticipated film called Now You See Me.  Then I saw that the director was Louis Leterrier, which gave me pause.  Letierrer rarely rises above the material he's given (Clash of the Titans, The Transporter movies).  In fact, the only movie I've ever really liked of his was The Incredible Hulk, which I think the only thing he added was excellent action scenes.  So, I went into this movie cautiously optimistic with lower than normal expectations.

THE BAD
 Although the characters are likable enough, there is a famine of character development in this film.  Almost every character is quite shallow.  I found myself wanting to see the mystery resolved, but not out of any attachment to the characters.  This was so surprising to me because of the immense amount of talent involved.  It felt like the screenwriters were bent on creating a mystery film with lots of twists and turns, but most of these don't involve much emotional resolution.

I didn't find much satisfaction in the big twist at the end.  It felt contrived and made the investment that I had made (i.e. Over an hour of my time) seem almost not worth while.

In attempting to create some tension in the first Vegas show (at least I think that was their intention) they circled the stage multiple times.  Although it was a cool effect, it made me a bit dizzy, which was NOT the desired effect, methinks.

THE GOOD
No one ever said that Mr. Leterrier doesn't know how to pace a film. And it shows: the pacing of the film is fantastic. There is never a dull moment, and the action plays out quite nicely.

Woody Harrelson is his best in this movie. I really liked his character and wanted to see more of him.

The pull of the this movie is the magic tricks: both watching them being performed, and having Morgan Freeman's character deduct how the illusions are actually done.  This, the actions scenes, and the banter between the four magicians are what make this movie worth seeing.

CONCLUSION
This movie is ultimately a popcorn flick: an action packed thriller that will both make you think and not think at the same time. It is a fun watch without much character development.  3.5/5 Disco Balls.

PARENTS GUIDE
It's rated PG-13 for an almost sex scene, sexual references, and some really intense action scenes.  There isn't much blood, but it is scary.