Now You See Me 2 Movie Review

Reviewed by Lynn Barker on Jun 08, 2016

Rating:

Kidzworld saw Now You See Me 2 the sequel to the fun 2013 film about master magician/thieves who rob from the corrupt rich and give to the poor. Is it great to see the gang again? Check our review.

By: Lynn Barker

After a big heist and giveaway in the last film, Now You See Me, the Horsemen, a group of master stage magicians who impress on a huge scale, have been in hiding and they hate it. If they want to be on a stage and out of trouble again, they have to go steal something for Harry Potter…well for Daniel Radcliffe who is playing a real slick baddie for a change.

Walter (Daniel Radcliffe) tells the Horsemen what he wantsCourtesy of Lionsgate

Backstory

In 1984, young Dylan Rhodes watches as his magician dad drowns in a submerged trunk. Magic debunker Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman) basically says “I told you so” and makes Dylan (later played by Mark Ruffalo) hate him and want revenge.

Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus in prisonCourtesy of Lionsgate

The Horsemen Resurface

A year after foiling the FBI and becoming public heroes with huge magic spectacles that always condemn bad richies and give money back to the rest of us, the Horsemen (Dan Atlas/Jesse Eisenberg, Jack Wilder/Dave Franco, and Merritt McKinney/Woody Harrelson) get back together to reveal the illegal and unethical practices of an internet mogul but they are foiled mid-performance by tech prodigy Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe) who is in hiding and basically kidnaps them. They end up magically in China.

Woody Harrelson as Merritt palming a cardCourtesy of Lionsgate

Life or Death Assignment

Walter wants the Horsemen, now joined by magician Lula (Lizzy Kaplan), to steal a computer circuit known as “the stick,” which can de-encrypt any computer program on earth or he’ll kill them. They hope to enlist the aid of the secret magicians’ society The Eye to perform one last amazing stunt to clear their names and reveal who is the real mastermind behind Walter. A surprise side-kick/baddie is Merritt’s twin bro who hates him for childhood injustices.

Lizzy Caplan as Lula on stageCourtesy of Lionsgate

Meanwhile

Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo), as in the last movie, is an FBI agent after the Horsemen but really their secret ringleader. To help save the Horsemen, he breaks Thaddeus out of prison to help but really to take revenge on him. Thaddeus says he had nothing to do with Dylan’s dad’s death.

Mark Ruffalo as Dylan watching the HorsemenCourtesy of Lionsgate

Get Help from The Eye

After conning their way into the facility that contains the “stick” Walter wants, the Horsemen are able to grab and keep it in an elaborate sleight-of-hand card trick that sees them passing it around behind the backs of guards. After they have it they go to a special magic shop run by Li (Jay Chou) and his grandma (Tsai Chin) for help with a big stage trick. Dylan is there too and is later grabbed by Walter’s thugs.

Walter (Dan Radcliffe) with his thugsCourtesy of Lionsgate

Twists and Turns

Can the Horsemen get Dylan back safely? Who is really on their side? Who is the big boss Walter reports to? Will The Eye help them or hinder? Can the Horsemen pull off a final, huge magic stunt that will catch the bad guys and make everything right?

Jesse Eisenberg as Atlas making rain magicCourtesy of Lionsgate

Now You See Me 2 Trailer | “The Greatest Magic Trick”

Wrapping Up

Now You See Me 2 is as much fun as the original. The plot is all over the place and I’m not sure I totally grasp the ending but you kinda don’t care since these actors are great together and the tricks and huge stunts are both amazing and delightful.

The Horsemen are surprised to be in ChinaCourtesy of Lionsgate

Daniel Radcliffe does a bang-up job of playing a baddie (a “narcissistic little man/boy” as magician Merritt calls him) and his scenes with Sir Michael Caine are really enjoyable. Adding Lizzie Kaplan to replace Isla Fisher was genius. She provides just the right mix of comedy and charm. James Franco’s scenes with her as the two become attracted are just so well…..cute. It’s fun to watch The Horseman in action since they are like a dysfunctional family. They are a team and super loyal to each other and their pledge to steal from the rich and give back to the less fortunate but they’re also rivals who love to impress in various shows of one-upmanship.

Lizzy as Lula with Dave Franco as JackCourtesy of Lionsgate

We see that magician/illusionist David Copperfield is a producer of the movie and no doubt a consultant on the huge-scale illusions pulled by the Horsemen. It works. The cute “Pass-the-computer chip-card” scene is clever and well-done but goes on a bit too long. You get the idea that some of the actors aren’t all that thrilled to be back in their parts even if they do a pleasing job in them. Will you enjoy the movie despite short-comings? Probably. We go three stars.