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Dave Franco hopes to “make many more” Now You See Me movies.The 40-year-old actor is set to reprise his role as street magician Jack Wilder in the upcoming threequel Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, and with a fourth film also on the way, Franco has shared he hopes the series will continue after the next flick.Speaking with Screen Rant, he said: “Now You See Me 3, coming out in November -- the gang is back, definitely more magic. “I'm learning new ways to throw cards. I have the greatest time with that cast. I think our natural love for each other bleeds onto the screen, and I hope to make many more with them.” As well as Franco, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t - which hits screens on November 14, 2025 - will see the return of his other Four Horsemen co-stars: J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg...

Lights, camera, magic. Fans of the Now You See Me franchise have something to celebrate as both Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2 are set to hit Netflix on June 1, 2025. This exciting streaming update brings the high-energy heist films, packed with jaw-dropping illusions and star-studded casts, to a new audience while giving longtime fans a chance to relive the magic.

With the third installment, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, generating buzz after its recent trailer drop, there is no better time to dive back into the world of the Four Horsemen. Whether new to the series or a die-hard fan, this streaming update is a way to relive the world of exquisite magic once again before the third installment hits the big screen.

Now You See Me franchise is coming to Netflix A still from Now You See Me 2 | Credits: Lionsgate

The Now...

An underrated legal thriller starring Mark Ruffalo is making waves on Peacock. Dark Waters is now available to stream on Peacock after being added to the streaming service at the start of the month.

Directed by Todd Haynes, Dark Waters stars Ruffalo as real-life corporate defense lawyer Rob Bilott, dramatizing his case against the chemical manufacturing corporation DuPont after they contaminated a town with unregulated chemicals. Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan wrote the screenplay for the 2019 legal thriller, based on the 2016 New York Times Magazine article "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare" by Nathaniel Rich. Besides Ruffalo, Dark Waters features several recognizable actors, such as Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption), Victor Garber (Legends of Tomorrow), William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), and Bill Pullman (Independence Day).

Focus Features received a limited theatrical release from Focus Features on Nov. 22, 2019, before expanding on Dec.

The Four Horsemen are saddling up again. After years of speculation, delays, and the occasional vanishing act, Now You See Me 3 is finally happening. This, for years, felt like one of the franchise’s own tricks – hinted at, rumored, and then disappearing into thin air. Originally announced in 2016, the project seemed to be stuck in development limbo for the better part of a decade.

A still from Now You See Me | Credits: Lionsgate

Lionsgate, however, has officially confirmed that the new Nysm film is set to hit theaters on November 14, 2025. If you’re wondering why Now You See Me 3 took so long, the production process wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

Why did Now You See Me 3 take so long?

Delays due to scheduling conflicts, script rewrites, and even the pandemic pushed the film back multiple times. But finally, in November 2024, filming wrapped, and the movie is currently in post-production.

In today’s episode, we’re pulling the curtain all the way back for 2013’s Now You See Me– We want to know how an all-star cast became master magicians and fooled an entire division of the FBI, all while performing miracles on lush Las Vegas stages. We’re going to discuss what the movie is, how it got made, and even why Isla Fisher refused to return for the sequels. We’re about to get into all of it, so let’s go.

The art of the heist movie is a delicate thing. It’s not enough to stuff a handful of celebrities in an extravagant location and give them a big bag of sexy money. You have to innovate. Give your team incredible stakes with minimal odds, while inventing a charming and witty dynamic between the characters. Oh, and of course, you’re gonna want that bag of sexy money.

Now You See Me's elaborate heist movie sees a group of magicians, regarded as "The Four Horsemen," performing public illusions during their shows that allow the group to commit a series of thefts. The films are closely associated with their remarkable sleight of hand, which begs the question of how real the magic tricks in the Now You See Me franchise are. The team is comprised of J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), and Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), though the cast expands in the Now You See Me sequel.

Both movies in the series showcase some incredibly impressive feats of magic that keep the audience both on-screen and in real life thoroughly entertained. After a nine-year stint, Now You See Me 3 finally has a release date set for 2025. With many high expectations for the upcoming sequel., Now You See Me 3...

Whether youre simply caught up in the amazement of a trick or youre trying to figure out how a trick was accomplished, theres something magnetic about magic. Similarly to how Christopher Nolan captured audiences with The Prestige, Louis Leterrier found a way to combine our fascination with magic with the intrigue of a heist movie in 2013 with Now You See Me. Featuring an all-star ensemble including the likes of Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, and Michael Caine, Now You See Me follows an FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo) and an Interpol agent Alma Dray (Mlanie Laurent) as they track down a group of magicians known as The Four Horseman who successfully steal from the corrupt and award the money to their audiences. Like the best tricks, Now You See Me has its own tricks, which spawned the sequel, Now You See Me 2 in 2016, and Now You See Me 3, which...

Now You See Me 3 is confirmed for a November 2025 release, which is exciting for fans of the franchise. Magic tricks in the series are exaggerated but entertaining, with some plausibility. There is hope that the third installment continues to deliver increasingly bizarre magic numbers, like the Fast & Furious franchise.

With Now You See Me 3 confirmed for a November 2025 release, I cant wait to see the third installments magic tricks after the previous ones in the franchise. Now You See Me premiered in 2013 and stars the likes of Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson. The movie follows four magicians, known as the Four Horsemen, as they use public illusions to send a message about greed. Now You See Mes shocking twist ending set up the rest of the franchise as Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo) becomes part of the group after using them to get revenge for his fathers death.

Following the first films reception,...

Now You See Me 3 is set for release on November 14, 2025. The sequel will hit theaters over nine years after its predecessor. With very little competition surrounding it and the long wait for the third installment in the franchise, Now You See Me 3 seems primed for success.

With nearly a decade gone since the magical action franchise last graced the screen, Now You See Me 3's release date has finally been revealed. Primarily led by Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco and Woody Harrelson, the franchise revolves around a group of magicians known as the Four Horsemen who use their performances and skills of deception to rob corrupt billionaires and give the money to their audiences. Now You See Me 3 has languished in development hell since 2015, finally gaining steam in late 2022 with Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer being brought on to direct.

Deadline has brought word that Now You See Me 3...

Now You See Me uses misdirection in storytelling to keep the audience guessing until the end. Officer Rhodes is revealed as the mastermind behind The Four Horsemen's revenge plot. The film highlights themes of excessive greed and exploitation by large corporations.

Now You See Me is a fascinating thriller thats become famous for its shocking third-act twist and confusing ending. Starring a great cast including Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, the film details the lives of four popular magicians who band together and execute a series of public illusions that break the law in several ways. Despite constant police efforts to bring the group, known as the Four Horsemen, to justice, their complex tricks and sharp intelligence allow them to become pseudo-celebrities that prove just how little is known about the world.

Now You See Me is an iconic magic movie that uses the magicians same misdirection and distractions...

Lizzy Caplan, who played Lula May in Now You See Me 2, is notably missing from Now You See Me 3's cast lineup. Despite Isla Fisher's return, there's room for both female Horsemen in the main cast - it's disappointing to see Caplan absent. Ruben Fleischer will direct Now You See Me 3, featuring most of the original cast from the previous films.

With Now You See Me 3 officially in the works, the news that a certain cast member might not be returning is nothing short of frustrating. Following years of speculation, Now You See Me 3 was recently confirmed to be in the early stages of development. While most of the main cast from the previous two installments are set to return, alongside a handful of new Now You See Me cast members, there is one former Now You See Me star who's notably and annoyingly missing from the line-up.

Now You See Me 3 confirms new cast members, including Ariana Greenblatt, Justice Smith, and Dominic Sessa for undisclosed roles. A potential soft reboot is rumored for Now You See Me 3, with the core cast members likely to return, aside from Michael Caine. Star Jesse Eisenberg previously suggested filming could begin in the next six months.

Now You See Me 3 has officially added its first new cast members. The Now You See Me franchise first began in 2013, and starred Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, and Woody Harrelson, with the plot focused on an FBI agent and Interpol detective tracking a group of magicians who pull off improbable bank heists using complex illusions. It became a box office success, grossing more than $300 million worldwide, and spawned a 2016 sequel, Now You See Me 2. After years of fits and starts, a third movie has officially been confirmed.

While Mark Ruffalo is now a bonafide veteran in Hollywood, there was a time when he struggled to gain fame as an actor. Ruffalo’s journey into acting began unexpectedly during his twelfth-grade year when he walked through the theatre department at his Virginia Beach high school.

His family had relocated from Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he was enrolled in a Catholic school. Dealing with undiagnosed dyslexia, his classmates used to laugh at him as he struggled to read aloud.

Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in the MCU

Ruffalo began pursuing acting at 19 but couldn’t make ends meet until he was 27. The Hollywood star went to many auditions but kept getting turned down.

He survived on apples and loaves of bread, riding a $200 Honda motorbike through all sorts of weather conditions to make it to auditions. It wasn’t easy for him, but he had a guardian angel who sent...

Now You See Me series showcases impressive magic tricks performed by a team of skilled illusionists in thrilling heists. Each film features standout tricks like the handcuff swap, card force, and transforming safe, captivating audiences worldwide. The franchise includes engaging storylines and dazzling visuals that keep viewers on the edge of their seats throughout.

Now You See Me is a one-of-a-kind movie about a team of specialist conmen who use magic and illusions to pull off incredible heists, boasting some impressive magic tricks along the way. The first movie, released in 2013, told the story of the Four Horseman, a group of highly skilled magicians and illusionists who are brought together to form an incredible show and prove their talents in increasingly impressive ways. The group consists of J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) in the first film.

The sequel,...

Lionsgate confirms that Now You See Me 3 is happening with director Ruben Fleischer, promising a fresh take on the franchise. The sequel will be a "reimagined" installment, potentially addressing concerns raised by the negative critical reception of the second movie. Details about the plot and cast are currently unknown, but the film's prioritization suggests that information will be revealed soon.

Now You See Me 3 has been officially confirmed by Lionsgate, teasing a fresh new take on the franchise from the movie's new director. The magician-focused franchise sees a group of illusionists using magic tricks and sleight of hand to steal money from the corrupt and give it back to their audience. Talks of a third installment have happened for some time, with one previous version that would see writer Eric Warren Singer at the helm.

Now, Comicbook.com reports that Lionsgate has confirmed Now You See Me 3 is happening,...

Now You See Me 3 is making significant progress after many years in development.

As reported by Screen Daily, Lionsgate International is forging ahead with the production of Now You See Me 3, and the studio is set to initiate sales for the film at the upcoming American Film Market (AFM), scheduled from October 31 to November 5, 2023. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Morgan Freeman are all confirmed to reprise their roles from the previous two films. Ruben Fleischer has been appointed as the director for this installment, with Michael Lesslie currently working on the latest script draft. Alex Kurtzman and Bobby Cohen will continue to serve as producers.

Venom Director Joins Now You See Me 3, Says It's a 'Dream Come True'

The original Now You See Me film was released in 2013, receiving mixed reviews, primarily due to criticism of its ending. Nonetheless, it achieved significant success at the box office,...

Louis Leterrier’s Now You See Me is the latest sleeper hit to surprise the audiences with more than a hat full of magic tricks. It’s a slick and fast crime caper that plays out in ordinary fashion. While the quick pacing and smooth core cast makes for an amusing watch, the film unfortunately suffers from a disastrous ending that leaves the whole thing feeling like nothing more than a cheap magic trick. Now You See Me is 3/4th’s a good film, weighed down heavily by a crumbling third act that absolutely crushes all of the movie’s good graces laid out beforehand.

J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) are all magicians that have had varying success. One day, the four of them are mysteriously brought together to form a group called The Four Horsemen. They...

Now You See Me is currently available on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD, but even if you've already picked up your copy, we have an exclusive video that you won't find on the special features. Dave Franco, who plays card-throwing expert Jack Wilder, discusses a scene towards the end where he has to use his magical skills as a weapon to fend off FBI agent Dylan Rhodes, played by Mark Ruffalo. Watch as the actor reveals how much fun it was to "kick the Hulk's ass" in this video you can't see anywhere else.

The Four Horsemen, a magic super-group led by the charismatic J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), perform a pair of high-tech, high-profile magic shows. First amazing audiences by remotely robbing a Paris bank while in Las Vegas, and then exposing a white-collar criminal and funneling his millions into the audience members' bank accounts, baffling the authorities. FBI...

The magic-based heist film Now You See Me was one of the summer's biggest surprise sleeper hits, and as luck would have it, those who may have missed it will have another chance to see it now that it's being released on DVD and Blu-ray just as summer comes to an end. In the movie, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco play the Four Horsemen, a group of the country's best magicians, each with a special skill, who come together to pull elaborate illusions, the first one being the robbery of a Parisian bank of millions of dollars in cash. That gets both the FBI and Interpol on their case in the form of Mark Ruffalo's FBI agent Dylan Rhodes and Melanie Laurent's Alma looking into how much of the Four Horsemen's act is real and how much can be deemed as...

Earlier this month, Lionsgate confirmed that Now You See Me 2, a follow-up to this summer's Now You See Me, is currently in development for a 2014 release, although it wasn't known if director Louis Leterrier was coming back to direct.

Earlier today, I was able to speak with the filmmaker over the phone about the Blu-ray and DVD release on September 3, and the director confirmed that he is coming back for this follow-up.

Here's what he had to say about the development process.

"We're actively working on the sequel to Now You See Me, so that is happening. We're writing it, and it's pretty fun. We had such a great time doing that and we loved the characters. Our biggest problem now is that we have too many great ideas. We're sort of saying, 'What if he would do that? That would be amazing, I want to see this, I want to see that.

The lines between magic, illusion and crime blur in the "exceedingly clever" (Entertainment Weekly) Now You See Me arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD, Digital Copy and Digital UltraViolet), DVD (plus Digital UltraViolet), Video on Demand and Pay-Per-View September 3 from Summit Entertainment, a Lionsgate company. Now You See Me will also be available for Digital Download August 30th, four days prior to the Blu-ray and DVD release. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features an Extended Director's Cut of the film featuring 16 minutes of never-before-seen footage.

Prepare to be amazed as "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists, pull off a series of daring heists while evading a squad of FBI agents and an Interpol detective trying to stop them before their most daring final trick! Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans), Now You See Me is a visually spectacular blend of astonishing illusions and exhilarating...

★★★☆☆ After the abominable Greek tragedy that was 2010's big money rehash Clash of the Titans, director Louis Leterrier returns with an all-star cast for magician-based crime thriller Now You See Me (2013); a film that delivers all the entertainment and spectacle of a David Copperfield Christmas Special, but is ultimately let down by a flaky third act and a preposterous plot twist. Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco are 'The Four Horsemen', a group of jobbing magicians who were brought together a year ago by a mystery benefactor and transformed into the hottest magic act to hits Las Vegas in years.

Not only do the Horsemen dazzle the crowds with their card tricks and mind-reading - they also perform an illusion which involves them stealing millions of Euros from a Paris bank vault and showering the rapturous audience with the proceeds. The thing is, it's not actually an illusion.

The closer you look, the less you’ll see! Never a more fitting tagline…in more ways than one! A bunch of magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher) form a mysterious alliance and set about robbing banks during the jaw dropping stage show, not only delivering mystery and illusion, but wads and wads of stolen cash to the audience. Is it all just a trick? Regardless; it gets the attention of the cops and the FBI, namely Detective Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and a major cat and mouse game develops. Mix in a magician debunker, Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman) and you have one of the most thrilling pieces of cinema this year, which will firmly plant your jaw on the ground by the time the credits role. Cast wise, Eisenberg is on fire here as a real arrogant piece of work, but immensely likeable. He delivers...

They say a good magician never reveals their tricks. Well, such a notion is one painfully dismissed in Louis Leterrier’s unrelenting crime thriller Now You See Me, a picture that lays all of its cards on the table, only to uncover one or two jokers in the pack.

When a collection of four aspiring magicians J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) are brought together by a mysterious individual, they unite to create the Four Horseman, revelling in the media attention surrounding their daring and unexplainable magic stunts. However following a trick whereby they rob a bank in Paris – they catch the unwanted attention of FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and colleague Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent), as a dangerous game of cat and mouse transpires; a game that springs many surprises along the way.

If there is...

At their core, blockbuster films are known for being over-the-top, loud, and brash. Now You See Me is an attempt at making a smart one. Unfortunately, “summer blockbuster” and “smart” are rarely used in the same sentence. Now You See Me is no exception.

Has the time of the plot twist passed? Just look at what happened to the career of M. Night Shyamalan. Movies these days are more and more adapted from other materials, and audiences who have been exposed to these original media will therefore already know how the movie is supposed to end. Plus, movies that depict or are based on real-life events have become increasingly popular and tend to show favor from critics. Last year, for example, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty achieved both critical and commercial success despite everyone knowing exactly how they will end. Louis Leterrier’s latest film, Now You See Me tries...

Warning: "Now You See Me" spoilers ahead.

Mark Ruffalo and director Louis Leterrier have more in common than just the new film "Now You See Me," which scored a surprise second-place finish at the box office over the weekend. The pair almost worked together in 2008, when Leterrier was directing "The Incredible Hulk" for Marvel.

"I actually wanted to cast Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Marvel was like 'No, you should get Edward Norton because he's more famous,'" Leterrier told HuffPost Entertainment in a recent interview. "They were like, 'No, no, [Ruffalo] just does smart, intellectual movies.' Which makes sense, then and there in his career. But that's I how know him. We've stayed in touch and it's why he said 'absolutely' when I offered him the part in this one."

Well, not exactly. Ruffalo stars as Dylan Rhodes in "Now You See Me," an FBI agent who finds himself...

Learning the inner workings of a magic trick is almost always a bit of a disappointment. The magician's flourish is what makes the show fun--see the nuts and bolts of his or her work, and the sense of wonder shatters.  It's fitting then, that surprise hit "Now You See Me" reflects the profession upon which it focuses: it's most fun during the trick, and much less so when the curtain is pulled back for us. Still, it's a fun summer fluff movie that transports and maybe even wows a bit--as long as you don't look too close. The setup: four up-and-coming magicians are contacted by a mysterious hooded figure and given a set of blueprints; a year later, they're famous, giving standing-room-only shows and calling themselves The Four Horsemen.  The misdirect: when one of the quartet's magic tricks appears to rob a Parisian bank via long-distance teleportation from Las Vegas,...

New 'Now You See Me' movie delivered tons of twists,great action,plot & more. Summit Entertainment released their new action/crime flick "Now You See Me" into theaters this weekend. I just checked it out,and thought it was pretty damn good. However, they did sort of loose me at times with all the crazy twists,but they made up for it with the great action scenes,witty humor,and more. The movie stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Common, and Dave Franco . In the new flick, Four magicians: Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) ,and Merritt Osbourne (Woody Harrelson) ,got brought together by a mysterious benefactor. Then, one year later, they're performing in Las Vegas as "The Four Horsemen" sponsored by Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine), who is an insurance magnate. During their Vegas performance...

When you assemble a cast like the one in Now You See Me, something magical happens. Terrible pun aside, an ensemble like this really is capable of pulling off some onscreen magic. As clichéd as it might be to say, there's a part in a lot of us that wants to believe in something as cool as magic. What may seem like impossible tricks often have very simple and logical explanations, but where's the fun in that? It's better to sit back and enjoy what the great cast of Now You See Me delivers.

The incredibly charismatic Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), a talented all-around magician; a beautiful illusionist, Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher); a mentalist, Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson); and an elusive pickpocket, Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) are four street magicians who are brought together under mysterious circumstances by an unknown force. A year after we're first introduced to them, they...

Now You See Me is almost the perfect summer movie. It’s fun, breezy action from the first frame until the (almost) end, with little time for rich character development or heart. I don’t mean that as a bad thing. The film is jam-packed with twists and turns in the narrative, spectacle, some creative action sequences (give Dave Franco an action comedy franchise and a garbage disposal, stat!), and snarky dialogue brought to life by a blessed cast. It’s not everyday you see a movie with Both Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in it.

Oh wait.

But still, they’re clearly fantastic finds in any film, and pair them with The Four Horsemen — Jesse Eisenberg’s J. Daniel Atlas, Isla Fisher’s Henley Reeves, Dave Franco’s Jack Wilder, and scene-stealer extraordinaire Woody Harrelson as Merritt McKinney — and you’re looking at serious, unCommon talent (the rapper’s...

Magicians have amazed audiences with illusions for centuries, but in modern entertainment, filmmakers are the reigning wizards. Visual effects are their illusions. CGI is their bag of tricks. All that is very familiar to French director Louis Leterrier, whose movies include The Incredible Hulk and Clash of the Titans. But for his latest movie, Now You See Me, opening today in theaters, he set out to limit the use of computer-generated effects.

“I was coming from those big spectacle movies where CGI was almost like one of the main characters, but from the very beginning [of developing Now You See Me] we decided to take a low-tech approach to everything,...

In Now You See Me, four extremely-talented street magicians – the renowned J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) and his former assistant-turned illusionist Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) – in addition to up-and-comer Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and the mind-reader/hypnotist Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson) – form a daredevil group known as The Four Horsemen. However, one of their stunts at a Las Vegas performance lands them in hot water with the authorities – when it seems that the four tricksters literally robbed a Parisian bank in the middle of their show

FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) is then assigned to the case – alongside new-to-the-field Interpol detective Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent) – but the duo fail to find a shred of material evidence that connects the ...

Click to continue reading ‘Now You See Me’ Review...

Now You See Me

Directed by: Louis Letterier

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson

Running Time: 1 hr 56 mins

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: May 31, 2013

Plot: An FBI agent (Ruffalo) investigates an elusive magician quartet called The Four Horsemen (Eisenberg, Fisher, Franco, Harrelson) who use their elaborate shows to rob banks.

Who’S It For? If you like scripts that can keep your attention occupied, but don’t mind an underwhelming payoff, then Now You See Me isn’t the worst of summer matinee choices. And considering how much my parents enjoyed the Ocean’s Eleven movies, I can recommend this magician heist to them without much hesitation.

Expectations: I was compelled that this was a movie from Incredible Hulk and Clash of the Titans director Louis Letterier. But most of all, I was intrigued by a log line that seemed irresistible, one...

Playing like The Prestige wrapped in slick Italian Job styling, Now You See Me offers a glitzy caper flick that quite literally challenges us to keep up. Whether you enjoy trying to figure out how the trick is done or simply prefer to bask in its glorious effect, if magic intrigues you even a little, you’re in for a treat.

Here we meet four master practitioners, each gifted with a trademark talent: illusionist J. Daniel Atlas (Jessie Eisenberg), mentalist Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), escape artist Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), and sleight-of-hand trickster Jack Wilder (Dave Franco). As individuals they impress (or infuriate, if you’re the often-unfortunate subject), but they are about to dazzle.

Summoned to a secret meeting (by the requisite mysterious hooded figure), they fall quickly into petty professional bickering. This promptly gives way to astonishment, however, as before them unfolds instruction for a trick the likes...

Plot: Four middling magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, & Dave Franco) are brought together by a mysterious benefactor. Now calling themselves The Four Horsemen, they.re brought to the attention of Interpol and the FBI when, using magic, they manage to rob a bank in France while performing in Las Vegas. Now, a cynical, disbelieving FBI agent, Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) must team with a rookie Interpol investigator (Melanie Laurent) and a famous magic debunker,...

Come to think of it, Hollywood films and magic shows have something in common: You pay your money, and you want to believe. Even if it's exceedingly hard to do.

At the start of "Now You See Me," a magic-themed heist movie with a high-powered cast including Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, you really want to believe. The idea is fresh, the introductory scenes enticing.

Plus, the actual magic performances that anchor the film, directed by Louis Leterrier, are fun – and for a while you almost forget that you're merely watching other people watch a magic show.

But then the dialogue turns formulaic, the plot gets increasingly hard to follow – even a film about magic needs an underlying logic – and character development seems to come to an utter halt, with interesting possibilities left unexplored.

It all builds up to a dramatic reveal at the end,...

The opening line of Louis Leterrier's Now You See Me warns "The closer you look, the less you'll see."  But it doesn't matter how closely or carlessly you look because there's not much worth seeing in the film.  For a movie that centers on magicians, the most spectacular thing about Now You See Me is how spectacularly it wastes both its premise and its cast.  Leterrier seems torn between wanting to provide cool magic tricks that could conceivably be performed in real life, and then he swings wildly to effects-laden set pieces.  The story also doesn't seem to have much affinity towards magicians since it portrays them as smug and self-satisfied.  But the film's most egregious trespass is taking an outstanding cast and forgetting to give them characters.  The movie should craft an intriguing illusion, but aside from some clever moments and Mark Ruffalo's performance, Now You See Me is a cheap trick.

I wasn't expecting much from Now You See Me. I read the synopsis and expected a magician's version of the Robin Hood tale and in some ways I was right and other ways not so much. Where I hit the nail on the head was in the expectation department. This isn't a great movie, but a serviceable one that traffics largely in sleight of hand entertainment and "how'd they do that?" more than anything else. Together with the "How?" also comes the "Why?" and by the end I'd say the journey is enjoyable enough to warrant a last minute matinee or home viewing. Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Transporter, The Incredible Hulk), the film centers on the teaming of four solo act magicians by a mysterious benefactor to carry off a three-act series of heists. The team consists of magician J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), illusionist Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher...

Now You See Me

Written by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin

Directed by Louis Leterrier

U.S.A./France, 2013

The term ‘movie magic’ has, alas, lost much of its once proud luster. Film savvy folks can now read in-depth articles, watch online interviews with filmmakers and dive into the ogles of behind-the-scenes content available on home media formats that reveal the tricks of the trade in impressive detail. Then there is magic itself, that form of entertainment and distraction in which artists amuse, thrill and befuddle spectators before their very eyes with acts that defy logic and physics. Magic continues to spark the imagination of crowds, something movies once accomplished with far greater ease than in recent years. Can the subject of magic therefore provide some much needed shine to one of the summer’s many blockbusters, the Louis Leterrier directed Now You See Me?

Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Henley Reeves...