It’s been nine years since we saw a “Now You See Me” movie, and with everything that’s been going on since 2016, I’m not sure a third installment was on anyone’s list of priorities. Whether you love these films or not, we need another “Now You See Me” the same way we need another sequel to “Neighbors.” As in sure, that might be fun, and sure, people would probably watch it, but no, the filmmakers aren’t responding to the overwhelming demand.
The “Now You See Me” movies are about stage magicians who become Robin Hood vigilantes. They hoodwink the wealthy and corrupt, then redistribute their money to everyone they screwed over. It’s hard not to have fun watching them, since everyone likes a good magic trick, and the wealthy and corrupt screw over 99% of the population — including everyone in the audience — on a daily basis, so good riddance to bad rubbish.
The irony is that stage magicians are, almost to a one, excellent storytellers. They weave narratives that suck in their audience, play with their expectations and reveal that yes, indeed this was their card, as though the revelation was profound. The “Now You See Me” movies, on the other hand, aren’t great stories. They’re somehow perfunctory and convoluted, all at once.
The characters banter, constantly, but we know nothing about them. The stories are elaborate, but only enough to sneak in the trickery. The heroes reveal that yes, they stole a thingy, and flashbacks reveal that everything that distracted from the illusion and the heist was, in fact, a distraction from the illusion and the heist. It’s amusing in the moment. It’s forgotten five seconds later.
After “Now You See Me” and “Now You See Me 2” (which should have been called “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t”), we finally arrive at “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” (which should have been called “Now You Three Me”). There’s a new team of illusionists, played by Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt and Justice Smith. Their latest stunt catches the attention of J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), one of the Four Horsemen from the previous films. His old team disbanded, so he needs these spunky rookies to steal a giant diamond from Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), a South African money launderer. And just for giggles they also steal her South African accent, since that’s the only explanation for how it disappears and reappears throughout the film.
As the threequel zips long, Atlas and his team reunite with the rest of The Four Horseman, played by Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” comes from the “Fast Five” and “Step Up: All In” school of franchise follow-ups, where the filmmakers assume their audience wants every cast member to return and join forces. When the cast is this affable, it’s hard to complain — even if it means the movie is overstuffed.
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There are endless scenes where our heroes bicker and one-up each other with their magical prowess, which constantly pushes the plot to the periphery. If the plot was any good this would be a problem, but the plot makes no sense, so the “problem” is actually a solution. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” is merely an excuse to let the actors bounce off each other and do ridiculous illusions that have to be explained in flashback, which doesn’t always make sense either. It’s a magic act without the storytelling, so every moment is the prestige, and none of it feels prestigious. It’s goofy and shallow and delightful and in a couple days I’ll forget I ever saw it.
Not everyone goes to the movies to be enriched. A lot of us go, at least once in a while, to waste time and have fun doing it. The “Now You See Me” filmmakers are experts at wasting our time, and the third film’s director, Ruben Fleischer, is no exception. You’ll grin ear to ear as this film dumps gallons of hogwash all over the stage. You’ll get goosebumps when the music swells, as if learning how the tricks were pulled somehow matters. And then you’ll leave the theater and discover it was all a disappearing act. They took your time, they took your money, but you won’t complain. You’ll probably fall for it next time too.
