Abracadabra and just like that “Now You See Me 2” hits the big screen starring Jess Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, and Woody Harrelson. Up to their old tricks, the clever magicians known as the Four Horsemen are reunited to thwart the criminal doings of a sinister tech genius (Daniel Radcliffe) and his vengeful father (Michael Caine). Here’s how the film measures up on my radar rating!
Plot: At the conclusion of “Now You See Me” (2013) Jack (Dave Franco) is presumed dead, Dylan (Mark Ruffalo) is revealed as the leader of the Four Horsemen, while J. Daniel (Jess Eisenberg), Merritt (Woody Harrelson), and Henley (Isla Fisher) disappear after leaping off a building. In the sequel, the Four Horsemen are back for another magical heist and Lula (Lizzy Caplan), who replaces Henley, teams up with J. Daniel, Dylan, Merritt, and Jack after being outwitted by an old foe.
Engagement: Like the prequel, this film is chock full of slick magical hi jinx, from ‘now you see it, now you don’t’ card tricks to a scheme that takes the team from the U.S. to China in the blink of an eye. The action in the film is fast-paced with magical moves that make you contemplate being a magician. But unlike the first film, the chemistry is lacking. Maybe it’s because this film introduced a new character, or perhaps it’s because the dialogue fell short of the wittiness of the first film.
Style: The looks in the film went from mainstream to flashy, then somewhere along the way the style quotient fizzled. Luckily there’s enough humor and sleight of hand action to keep your mind off the mediocre looks and on the magical moments.
Release: Friday, June 10
Image source: Lionsgate
RADAR RATING
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Plot - 7.5/107.5/10
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Engagement - 7.5/107.5/10
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Style - 7.5/107.5/10
