Illusions fly across the screen expecting applause in Now You See Me, a prestidigitation caper that manages to drain away anything close to movie magic. Four down on their luck magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco) are drawn together to perform a series of complicated robberies given the appearance of Vegas stage shows. FBI agent Mark Ruffalo, Interpol’s Mélanie Laurent and professional magic debunker Morgan Freeman attempt to stop their sleight of hand shenanigans. Director Louis Leterrier’s greatest trick, though, is producing a film lacking any sort of protagonist. Audiences can’t get inside the magical quartet’s heads, lest they have the next heist ruined, while Freeman proves villainous and Laurent and Ruffalo are kept mysterious enough to doubt their motivations. Now You See Me wants to wow you with an illusion, but it’s really just a prank built to annoy.
This article appears in May 30 – Jun 5, 2013.