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The 1980s-inspired sequel reimagines the original blockbuster by emphasizing the individuals and their distinctive features. Both new converts and admirers of the original should find the revisit enjoyable.

The grand illusion thriller "Now You See Me" borrowed ideas from Soderbergh's "Ocean's" series and Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige". With a convoluted plot and a chatty, fiercely competitive group of renegade magician heroes, the film was both witty and bordering on ridiculous.

The movie features a number of jaw-dropping moments, fake-outs, and teases. The film's denouement is always focused on the audience, with the Horsemen-a troupe of illusionists-stranded on a private jet. The movie is an exhilarating and suspenseful roller coaster since it never stops winking.

As a film this really is poor. On practically every level it falls down… Now You See Me 2 picks up directly where the first film left off and the film follows a similar pattern – The 4 (or 5?) horsemen, performing larger-than-life magic with the aim of providing for those less fortunate or exposing those who do wrong. However, unlike the first, their motivations behind each of these stunts are a little less clear and certainly less meaningful. In fact inconsistent or unlikely character motivations and actions are a problem throughout the film (with supporting characters as well as the leads).Then there's the fact that this plot is so unrealistic and beyond the realms of possibility that it makes the first script look practically normal. The script in itself is a problem… it's messy, incongruent and forced – "well we need to have a shootout/car chase, otherwise it won't be cool enough".

Then there's the fact that Isla Fisher's character has left the gang and although briefly explained at the beginning of the film, is never mentioned again. Yet her replacement (played by Lizzy Caplan) is not only treated as if she's been there since the beginning, but also held responsible for all the actions she wasn't around for in the first film. I get the feeling it might have been easier for her just to play Isla Fisher's character (Katie Holmes-Maggie Gyllenhaal in Batman style) rather than trying to shoehorn in a different character. And talking of characters – Daniel Radcliffe's character is atrocious. I don't want to give anything away but he is such a stereotypical, spoilt, British man it's untrue. Moreover his acting in this was reminiscent of all his appalling, wooden performances from the early Harry Potter films… And just I was starting to believe that maybe he could act!

And then there are issues around plot holes, speech which is purely for the viewers' benefit, seemingly irrelevant sub-plots and a ridiculously backwards ending which doesn't appear to make much sense.

So how the hell, given all these problems, does it give it get a 6 I hear you cry? Well, as with the first, it is still thoroughly entertaining. It's light-hearted fun, which isn't really tackling any of the world's serious topics and as a spectacle is still great. Sure I found myself thinking of several occasions 'my god this is garbage', but it didn't annoy me. It's the kind of film where you can laugh off the issues and appreciate the fun parts.

In summary, if you liked the first one, I certainly wouldn't discourage you from seeing NYSM2. I'd just go in with limited expectations and an acceptance that many aspects of it aren't going to be very good. If you have those two things you'll probably enjoy it thoroughly, despite all its flaws.

I could have written this review for 'Now You See Me I', as my appreciation for Tyler's work started there, but I thought I'd skip it, as he outdid himself in the second part. Yes, the NYSM films are arguably one of the most plot hole ridden franchises in Hollywood (not speaking about the non-decision if magic now is actually an existing thing or not), but strangely I found that after watching the first one and simply accepting the aforementioned fact I was able to really enjoy the second one. And I will re-view the first one as well with this attitude. Those are simply enjoyable films with good actors, nice scenery and lighthearted stories. But I want to direct your focus on something else I rarely read about here: The music by Brian Tyler. You may say about him what you want, but he really created an exception here. In our times, real pop-rock drums (I am not talking programmed drums and loops) as addition to orchestral music have fallen out of grace - Tyler was one of the first to bring them back. And boy, he knows how. In my world, the NYSM score is one of the most inventive soundtracks of our time. Not only does Tyler create a really powerful combination of orchestral and pop/rock music, he also manages to deliver a theme (or leitmotif) one is able to whistle after leaving the theater - also something that is not standard anymore, as soundtracks have become more like acoustic wallpaper these days. The music is really versatile in the most profound way. Just listen to 'The Setup' as a prime example. He morphs through all kinds of style from pop, rock, soul, swing and jazz in one single piece. And his real drums lend a power to the music that is unprecedented. Others have also started to incorporate this style of drumming in their music, but never as virtuosic as Tyler does here. If you like popcorn flicks, give the NYSMs try, and if you're into movie scores, keep your ears open. An oh, by the way: Listen to 'Can you dig it', his end title version of 'Iron Man 3' - it's right up there on the same level.

I really enjoyed the first NOW YOU SEE ME film. I thought that film's premise "magicians robbing a bank" was original and the execution of the unique script by Ed Solomon and Boaz Yakin by director Louis Leterrier was strong. Add to that the casting - Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco as "The Four Horseman", Melanie Laurent, Common and (especially) Mark Ruffalo as the cops who were chasing them and sprinkle in good ol' Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman into a plot that kept you guessing to the end and you had a fun ride.

My only question was, could the sequel capture the...wait for it...MAGIC (yes I went there) of the original?

And my answer is...sort of.

Kind of like seeing a magic show for the 2nd time, the spark of originality and wonderment was mostly missing this time around, consequently NOW YOU SEE ME 2 turned into a fairly standard crime/action caper - but with magic instead of guns, cars or fights.

All that said, I was still entertained by this film, but that enjoyment was filled with an undercurrent of disappointment as I wanted to by "wowed" like I was with the first film.

The script - written by Ed Solomon, one of the writers of the original, struck me as a "job script", that is, a script written for money from the studio vs. a "passion script" where the author has an idea they are passionate about and that passion is shown on the screen. Add to that the fact that Jon M.Chu - director of GI JOE: RETALIATION (not exactly CITIZEN KANE) - helmed this film and you have a movie that feels professional, competent and workman-like.

What saves this movie is the performances. Three of the horsemen are back (Isla Fisher had to bow out due to a pregnancy) and the bi- play and the interaction between Eisenberg, Harrelson and Franco fits like an old glove. They get to interact with Ruffalo more in this film and that's a plus. Freeman and Caine return and are as dependable as ever and newcomers Daniel Radcliffe, Tsai Chin and (especially) Jay Chou were fun. Only Lizzy Caplan's Lula didn't really work for me - I thought she was trying to hard to fill in for Fisher.

Interestingly enough, I could shake the feeling, as I was watching this film, that I was watching the 2nd chapter in a trilogy, even though this one did NOT end in a cliffhanger. Sure enough, upon further review, NOW YOU SEE ME 3 is currently filming.

All in all, I enjoyed this film, I just wish I could have been surprised more, like I was in the first film.

7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (of Marquis)

It's just like the first movie...it takes you into the mind of magic tricks and just how easy, hard and confusing and well timed it can be. It's interesting to see just how they do it, because we keep forgetting it's all fake and not real. This movie is magic mixed with a robbery heist all combined into one.

All the actors return, excluding Isla Fisher. This time we have a lady by the name of Lula (Played by Lizzy Caplan) who, to an extent replaces Isla Fisher. She's actually really funny and charming, to say the least. All the characters are exactly as the same as they were in the first one. We have a new villain by the name of Walter Mabry (played by Daniel Radcliffe.) He wants the Horsemen to capture a certain device so he can have access to everyone's details. Daniel Radcliffe surprisingly makes a good villain.

We rate this 3/5 stars (7/10.) The movie is entertaining, action packed and nonstop guessing and thrills all the way through. Why didn't we rate it higher? We thought it didn't deserve any higher. It's an enjoyable flick, just like the first one. Nothing more, nothing less. Go and check it out. It's worth seeing. -Autistic Reviewers.

Among the other movies in the theaters this week, this is a good choice to spend your two hours..

I think the age warning of above 13 for this movie is actually right. My advice is that if you're above 40, it may not entertain you because this film doesn't include much logic among some events that follow one another.

Another thing is that this is also a movie about a struggle of saving the world from the bad guys. There many movies like that but this movie saves itself from being boring with the humor & sarcasm of the characters. Magics which we cannot come across in real life help a lot to take the movie to a higher position in the audience's point of view.

Best parts of the film:

1. The voyage of the horsemen after they jump through the tunnel.

2. When four of the horsemen are together in a room where they are being searched for a possible theft.

3. The magical performances of the horsemen in a city center at a special day of the year.

4. The audience may not guess how the film will end, will the horsemen succeed or not?

5. There may be a 3rd film of this series.

I don't understand all the hate for this movie. It accomplished the same ends as the first one, and even exceeded it in some ways. Just like the first, it started with a simple plot, added in some humor and dazzling magic tricks, and then brought in a twist at the end. Very fun movie, with complex characters.

Sure, it's not a FANTASTIC movie. But I don't think it was meant to be an award- winner or anything. It celebrates the mystery and magic of illusion, and reminds viewers that even today, audiences can still be fooled, if the magician has just enough intuition (and money) to pull it off.

I would've given 10 stars, but the romance was poorly executed, and some of the plot elements bothered me. Loved it though. Don't believe the negative reviews. Watch it for yourself and see what you think.

Now You See Me 2 wins the title for most unnecessary sequel, maybe of all time. The first film was a surprise with decent twists and performances. It was a success, apparently to the point where the studio thought the audience needed more. We didn't and this film doesn't really offer anything new and it expects us to really be invested in these characters and their story. Yet neither of these things are really compelling enough for a second go-around. As a result, this sequel just manages to be serviceable.

The Horsemen are in hiding and the FBI are on the hunt for them. It's been over a year and now the stage is set for their triumphant return. Just when they reappear in the limelight, the trick seems to be on them. Their entire stage was hijacked and they find themselves at the mercy of Walter, a mad genius who needs their skills to steal a microchip. In this battle of wits, which magician has the upper hand?

I begged my wife to see The Conjuring 2, but she was terrified of the original and absolutely did not want to see the sequel in theatres. Double that for the fantasy adventure film Warcraft, so we were stuck seeing the magic heist flick Now You See Me 2...why this wasn't called Now You Don't, me and millions of others apparently will never know. Most of the cast has returned with the exception of Isla Fisher and Mélanie Laurent, with the former disappearance explained away with a few bits of dialogue. In her place we have Lizzy Caplan, who seems a lot more at ease with the cast and the material. One of the welcomed additions to this sequel.

While the original was somewhat refreshing, this one treads the same waters. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns the original offered us, here everything is telegraphed and predicted a few scenes beforehand. Thus the magic is gone, to a degree. The spectacle is still there is some sequences, yet the revelation is timid. I had to stop thinking about logic a lot of times in order to enjoy the spectacle. One sequence involving the team throwing a card between each other to keep it hidden from people inspecting them, was really well done. But why do they need to throw it to each other? Why not just have one of them keep it and continuously hide it? I don't know. Double goes for a plot hole that I simply do not understand involving a fake chip and the real one. NYSM2 doesn't bother to explain much that makes sense and instead tries to explain what we already know.

As I said before, Caplan is the one good addition the film does. Most of the cast seems to sleepwalk through their roles, especially Eisenberg. The second new addition is Daniel Radcliffe, who despite playing a "magician" does his best to shed that Harry Potter persona. Between his role in Horns, here and the upcoming Swiss Army Man, I hope he manages to do it. NYSM2 is again, a pointless sequel that manages to entertain enough to warrant a view if you're a fan of the original.

This is a worthy follow up to the first movie (coming from someone that as a rule doesn't believe in follow-on movies). It's fun, it's got its twists and hidden surprises, & ends up being a well put-together, bit of entertainment. I went to see it with my my teenage daughter and we both really enjoyed it! It's a great, light, holiday movie, that leaves you with a smile on your face and "oh, gee, I didn't see that coming". It is a good mix of slight of hand that admittedly are fun to watch, good action and some rolling humour. Do yourself a favour - if you saw the first one and enjoyed it then go see the follow-on. Don't be put off by the nay-Sayers. Listen to the Inspector!

"Now You See Me 2" rides the wave of its predecessor's success, bringing back the charismatic crew of illusionists known as the Four Horsemen for another round of thrilling heists and magical escapades. With a fresh take on the premise, this sequel dives deeper into the world of magic while introducing new challenges and compelling characters.

The film's ensemble cast, including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Lizzy Caplan, along with the addition of Daniel Radcliffe, brings a lively energy to the screen. Each performer showcases not only their magical talents but also their comedic chops, resulting in several humorous moments amidst the tension. The visuals are once again a standout feature, with impressive tricks and elaborate setups that keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

"Now You See Me 2" does face some challenges. While the complexity of the plot can be intriguing, it sometimes feels overwhelming and convoluted, making it difficult for viewers to fully engage with the story. Certain twists may come across as forced or predictable, detracting from the overall suspense that the film aims to build.

While the film excels in spectacle, it occasionally neglects character development, making it harder for audiences to connect with some of the newer additions to the cast. The first film's charm and camaraderie among the Four Horsemen feel somewhat diluted this time around.

"Now You See Me 2" offers an entertaining blend of magic, humor, and heist thrills that will satisfy fans of the original. While it may stumble in narrative coherence and character depth, the film remains a visually captivating experience that delivers enough fun to make it worth a watch. Just prepare to suspend some disbelief for the best enjoyment!

While the previous film was full of intrigue, mystery, and revelations, this film is a pale comparison to it's prequel. With considerably less action and more talk, the first half of the film manages to bore the audience. As well, this film gives off the feeling of trying too hard to be like the first one that it just falls short.

The acting is fine enough for the Horsemen, as they all reprise their roles. I did like Isla Fisher and her character, but unfortunately she got replaced by Lizzy Caplan, who isn't so bad either. I had a problem with Radcliffe's character. He was too weird, and his background was not very comprehensive. I also found out how short he actually is in this film. In addition, the film introduces Merritt's twin brother, Chase, played by Woody Harrelson. That was another no-no. Though the editing was done well enough between the two characters, the hair on 'Chase' was very obviously a wig which was unnerving. Needless to say, I found that the new characters were not a great addition.

As for the narrative, it kind of continues the story from the first film, but not in as much detail. As well, there are more elements involved in this film that detracts attention away from the main plot. This is what made it messy; with too many things going on the audience doesn't know which to focus on. And with no focus, the narrative just becomes jumbled up.

The effects are cool as usual. I especially liked the scene where they're tossing a card to each other. Visuals and coordination are nicely done there, and managed to engage the audience.

The ending felt a little too deja vu from the first one. As mentioned, it tries too hard to be like its predecessor that it just destroys itself. I'm not saying the film is not enjoyable, but while it isn't totally horrible, there is too much dialogue and not enough action. I'd liked to have seen more tricks, and less new characters who hardly had any foundation.

As far as the story goes, there is actually a lot of potential in Now You See Me 2. It's not long before Rhodes has to give up his role in the FBI and focus entirely on being a Horseman, there's a handful of new players in addition to Lulu, and almost everyone from the first movie returns (although the Interpol agent isn't even mentioned). There's plenty of twists at play in this movie. Too many in my opinion. Rather than build-up mystery and intrigue, it just throws twist after twist at you. Some of them are great, some of them are awful (great being the identity of the new villain's father, awful being the figurehead of The Eye; the mysterious organisation of magicians).

Similarly some of the new characters are great, while others are awful. I was sad to hear that Isla Fisher wasn't returning as Henley. There's a reasonably plausible explanation as to why she's not around, but I'd rather have still had her around, even if it was in a reduced capacity or cameo. That said, Lizzy Caplan's Lulu is a worthy replacement. She adds a lot of much needed energy and quirkiness to the group that, without her, would have seemed incredibly dull and uninteresting. I'd probably go so far as to say she's the best character of the whole movie. With all the antagonists of the first movie out the way, Now You See Me 2 needed a new one, and Daniel Radcliffe's Walter Mabry is brilliant. Just like Caplan, he brings a surprising amount of energy to the movie, and his borderline sociopathic villain makes for a brilliant foil.

Then there's Chase McKinney, Merritt's twin brother, also played by Woody Harrelson, who is a dreadful and pointless addition. He's Harrelson at his most goofy and annoying, and that awful wig certainly doesn't help. Not only that, but he serves no purpose in the movie, no purpose that couldn't have been served by someone else at least. The best comparison I can think of to a similar character is Alfrid in The Battle of Five Armies, who's only purpose was to bring cringeworthy and completely humourless comedy to an otherwise fairly serious movie, cheapening the whole experience.

The returning cast are all back to what they do best, and honestly I'm surprised that even if they did all phone it in for the paycheck, it's not immediately obvious. Mark Ruffalo probably gets the most opportunity to add depth to his character of Dylan Rhodes, particularly after his status quo completely shifts early on. Morgan Freeman chews up the scenery as usual as a personal antagonist to Rhodes, and they share some great scenes together. Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, and Woody Harrelson all do great as the rest of the horsemen, but they sorely lacked any character development at all, resulting in each of their characters becoming little more than empty shells trundled around at behest of the plot.

The real draw for me, and I'm sure many others too, was the magic tricks. These imaginative and fluid tricks made the first movie so enjoyable, even when they flirted with the plainly unbelievable, giving it that edge of pure fantasy that I really dug. Now You See Me 2 is a bit of a disappointment in that regard, as there isn't really a whole lot of magic. Their first show back is thwarted before they really get to do much (although I admit the build-up was entertaining). Beyond little easter eggs and teases here and there, that's it until the third act. Okay, we get an entertaining exchange of cards in a high security lab between them, but it goes on entirely too long (seriously, how many times can you search one body over and over), and is ultimately pointless, because they seem to just keep passing the card to the person next being searched, when really the first guy should've kept hold of it after cleverly keeping it out of sight. When we do get a promise of some magic, they almost always get interrupted. What was great last time was seeing these tricks play out to their end and the Horsemen getting away with it. This time they never get to finish anything as Mabry's men or the police always seem to barge in, and any getaways they have are similarly thwarted with ease. When they all coalesced onto motorcycles I sat up in my seat ready for a nailbiting car chase through the streets of London, but they don't even get out of the car park. The imaginative and well-prepared Horsemen seem to get outsmarted constantly this time, and that was just frustrating.

I enjoyed Now You See Me 2 for the most part, and I am eager to see the third instalment if it gets made, but I can't deny that this second movie was a bit of a mess. It had far too many twists and turns, returning characters became dull and indistinguishable (somehow), and the fun of grand magic was completely absent. The action benefited a lot from John M Chu and his history of highly choreographed movies, but he was near useless at handling anything else the script threw at him I give Now You See Me 2 a slightly disappointing 6/10.

P.S. I still can't believe they didn't call it "Now You See Me Too" or "Now You Don't". Even the original title of "Now You See Me: The Second Act" would have been a bit more imaginative.

The original 'Now You See Me' film was an incredibly enjoyable affair. It was possibly one of the finest examples of how, if you were willing to suspend your disbelief to epic levels, you really could have a great time watching it. It was Hollywood glitz and popcorn-munching fun all the way through. The - A-list - cast was perfect and played off each other brilliantly, depicting a quartet of modern day Robin Hood-style magicians who stole from the rich and corrupted through the use of their dazzling illusions and, in turn, gave back to the poor. I suppose its success basically guaranteed a sequel would be greenlit. And, where I do give the film credit for doing its best to follow-on closely from the events in the first outing, this time round it's just too unbelievable to be convincing - no matter how hard you try to suspend your disbelief.

I really wanted to like this film - and I guess I did. There were plenty of neat moments here and there, it's just I wanted to like it a LOT. And I didn't. The story picks up a little while after the events of the first one and the most noticeable difference for me was the fact that Isla Fisher hasn't returned this time round. She's therefore instantly replaced by another female magician who slots into the team a little too well. Then we get to the meat of the story where the twists and turns start to overtake general common sense and credibility.

The rest of the cast return, but the main newcomer is Daniel Radcliffe who entraps the magicians in an attempt to use their collective skills to steal something for him. And, as I mentioned, the 'magic' set-pieces are indeed well-filmed and cool to watch. However, the story just doesn't add up. One of the main complaints from the first one was the 'twist' which left some viewers feeling a little short-changed. Here, the film tries to 'out-twist' the original by taking the story in all sorts of directions which leave you truly confused as to who is on who's side and who is trying to double-cross who.

I know that part of the fun with watching magicians perform is trying to guess how the trick is done. With the first film you could just about believe that the feats they carry out could just about be actually real if all the circumstances were just right. In the sequel, everything feels a little cheap as you naturally try to predict how they accomplish these feats, only to find out that the ways they do them are tantamount impossible.

Overall, it's an enjoyable enough film, but it does try to be a little too clever for its own good and therefore ends up being too unbelievable to be credible.

Magic movies are fun. They are responsible for some of my favourite movies of all time. 'The Prestige', 'The Illusionist' and the original 'Now You See Me' all come instantly to mind, and now I can add 'Now You See Me 2' to that list, because it is a very impressive sequel. The series has a very similar feel to the 'Ocean's Eleven' trilogy, and we all know how the second installment of that series turned - not well. They made the mistake of making things too complicated for the average movie-goer to understand and just sit back and enjoy. 'Now You See Me 2' does a great job of keeping things intricate and twisted, while always keeping the audience in on the joke (and trick).

There's the return of all the main stars (minus Isla Fisher who couldn't return due to her pregnancy) and the inclusion of some new ones who fit in seamlessly. In fact, I thought Lizzy Caplan was even more suited to the role of a magician than Fisher was, she did an excellent job as the newest Horseman. Daniel Radcliffe (yes the same one who found fame in another certain magic themed series) also joins the cast. His acting always comes across quite clunky to me, and I felt his performance worked more due to his star-power than actual acting chops.

All the fun from the original is there. Everything you think you know, you should reconsider. There are twists and turns around every corner and the 129 minute run time flies by. Is there enough here for a third installment? I see no reason why not. The world of magic leads to infinite possibilities, and this cast is strong enough to carry a story and keep things fresh and fun. Personally I hope they do return again based on this fine effort.

"Now You See Me" was a personal guilty pleasure of 2013, it was absolutely unpretentious and unbelievable but it knew it was so and with the help of a talented cast and a couple of good characters and story beats it turned out as a fine time at the theater. Its sequel starts out with the same unpretentious and fun vibe of the first only to slowly escalate up to what becomes one of the most lifeless and visually painful experiences of the year.

As I said the movie started out really fine, in the sense that it was doing what I wanted it to do. Nobody should or would walk into this film expecting the new "Heat", I just wanted to have some dumb fun, with a self referential film that doesn't take anything seriously and up to the fist two set-pieces of the film that's what I was getting. The cast was working the best they could and the action felt fluent and visually pleasing, there was a rhythm to it and a reason for it in particular.

Yet, as soon as we start getting into this film's second act things fall apart to a mind numbing degree and I mean that literally, my mind went blank with the level of stupidity and inconsequentially of what was going on, I watched this film in a state of trance where I couldn't tell if I was dozing off or simply bored to death.

"Now You See Me 2" takes the levels of suspense of disbelief to a whole new world where not even laughing at the film proves to be of any kind of satisfaction, everything going on is just visual noise and other than being filmed in the most uninteresting and unstylish way possible, it has no momentum, no character, it's just there for the sake of extravaganza and it keeps going on for unbelievable amounts of time and it never proves to be any kind of pleasant.

And we haven't even taken into consideration the logistical implications of what happens. It is just crazy. There is no grit of grounding of actions, stuff just keeps happening on top of other stuff and without any kind of character or story implications the film becomes more of a showcase of dull visual tricks. Not to mention the story twists it spices in which are preposterous to even think about and sprinkled with silly clichés and dialogue that not even Ruffalo or Freeman, two of the greatest actors, manage to make even passable.

I got a head ache from this movie, it was a terrible experience, I don't recommend it and the shortness of my review is reflective of how lost with words I am about it.

I was saddened to see that Now You See Me 2 is rated poorly both on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. I saw it in cinemas yesterday and it was one of the best movies I have seen in a while, and the two people I went with agreed. I also thought that visually, humour-wise and acting-wise, this movie was better than its predecessor. The visuals are, as usual, incredible. The effects are fantastic and I love the way they show all of the tricks. It's exciting, intense and a bit over dramatic, but hey, that's what you get from the Now You See Me franchise, and I love it. Not only this, but it has a fantastic soundtrack and what can only be described as 'cool' sound effects. They are well placed and frankly, awesome! People are accusing this movie of being overly-CGI, having a bloated plot and being worse than the original, which in my opinion is ridiculous! Obviously it's going to be loaded with CGI - it's a movie about magicians and illusionists! It's far cheaper to use CGI than to actually do the tricks. Not only this, but I failed to find a problem with the CGI. It was done well, not too excessively and definitely used to the movie's advantage. The plot was most certainly not bloated, it had a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining plot arc and the characters were each well developed ( well, as developed as they could have been in this rather fast moving movie). I liked it better than the original. I loved the addition of Lizzy Caplan replacing Isla Fischer (which was done smoothly), and the new objective of the Four Horsemen (which again I won't go into, but was exciting, hilarious and at times even emotional). The acting was great, there weren't any phenomenal performances however, again, this is simply not the type of movie that you go to if you want to watch some great classic or moving story, you go to it to have a good time and to have fun. One standout performance for me was Mark Ruffalo's, but I won't say why because it will breach guidelines and become a spoiler, most likely. Dave Franco's performance as always was charming, Jesse Eisenberg's was funny, Daniel Radcliffe was also great, and of course Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine were fantastic. My one reservation was that it was rather predictable. I won't say any specific plot points just in case of spoilers, but I did figure out the basic plot arc before the halfway mark. Then again, this is Now You See Me, and something I loved about these movies was how they can take a basic plot and turn it into something spectacular. If you liked the previous Now You See Me then I'm sure you'll love this. If I were to describe it I'd describe it as Inception, but with less of a tragic backstory and more of a funny, exciting and dramatic plot line and characters. I loved it and cannot wait for Now You See Me 3!

So it turns out, the things critics complained about in 2013's Now You See Me would've been better off untouched. While not producing a perfect movie in the first installment, the opposite ends up happening here.

On the other hand, much like the first one, Now You See Me 2 has the mind-bending entertainment taken care of. It holds the same charm that was present in its predecessor-- perhaps even more. However, there are just a few things that are problematic.

For one, the audience constantly feels like they're missing something--like they're always behind in what's going on. And not because of natural occurrences in the narrative, but because the filmmakers simply want us to be. Which is odd, seeing that this time we're actually in on most of the tricks.

In Now You See Me, we're given the story through the FBI agent's point of view--always on the other side of the magic. In the sequel, we're mostly given the point of view of the four magicians, so we're deeply involved behind the scenes. The former situation was a major complaint of the first film, but now that I'm seeing the alternative, I think I would rather things be back to normal. And even though it's worth it in the end, the whole time prior you just sit there, frustrated, not wanting to be in on the trick, trying to mentally disassemble all the rigmarole in the meantime.

Two years following the events of the first film, the Four Horsemen (played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Lizzy Caplan) must remain in hiding for fear of the FBI. But they're growing impatient waiting for further instructions. Caplan replaces Isla Fisher as the female in the group. She's very unfunny--even when she so desperately tries to be--making us wish Fisher was back.

The clan ends up in China where they are forced into working for a rich businessman (Daniel Radcliffe) who faked his own death and is supposed to be dead to the rest of the world. Radcliffe's brilliantly evil persona is far from the paladin, Harry Potter, as this may be his most mainstream role since.

Morgan Freeman also returns with his character still in prison, because, for some reason, he can't seem to prove his innocence yet. Freeman is a key cog because he's what connects Ruffalo's character to his father's death as a child.

Also differing from the first film, the first two acts are the weakest part. Waiting for things to get better towards the end, we sit through a magic trick-less setup that's more confusing than interesting. We do, however, get "treated" to an unnecessary card-flinging scene that just ends up being silly and five minutes too long.

Does a good ending make up for a meandering 90 minutes? I guess it might if those 90 minutes are pertinent to the climax. And in this case, they are. But things may be a little too intricate to be cherished in the long run (something untrue for the first film). Maybe it deserves another watch. Maybe then will things be more clear. Because even after it's all explained to us, things wind up being overly complicated, but I guess you just have to trust that it all makes sense. If you're okay living like that.

Twizard Rating: 73

After successfully executing their heist of millions from corrupt businessman Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine), the "Four Horsemen" magicians go into hiding to evade capture. But laying low for a year doesn't sit well with headstrong Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), who ignores leader Dylan Rhodes' (Mark Ruffalo) assertions to remain patient. Instead, he secretly contacts the Eye, the mythical organization that cryptically controls the band of thieves.

Shortly thereafter, Rhodes gathers the Horsemen together for their next assignment and to introduce them to new recruit Lula May (Lizzy Kaplan). When their plot to expose unethical communications company Octa goes awry, resulting in the Horsemen's identities being revealed to the world, they become ensnared in a trap devised by ruthless tech genius Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe). Forced to steal a computer chip from Mabry's longtime rival, Atlas, May, Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) must outwit both hunter and prey, all while staying one step ahead of the FBI agent (Sanaa Lathan) hot on their trail and the scheming magic-debunker, Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), hellbent on revenge.

Revisiting the perilous underworld of magicians sounds like an antonymous event - and it most certainly is. Still teetering on the ludicrous brink of a 007 adventure filled with the sarcastic jokers of "Ocean's Eleven," this crew of heisters more closely resembles special forces soldiers or secretive government agents than amateur stage magicians, even if they call themselves "Elite Magic Society" members. With a plot of "Mission: Impossible"-styled infiltration and theft, there's really no room for magicians at all. And, once again, it seems that all aspiring illusionists want to be like Robin Hood. What ever happened to doing magic tricks for the sake of entertainment? A vengeful, villainous discreditor takes the place of a James Bond supervillain, while the FBI - and any other form of law enforcement - is so meaningless that it's easy to forget their purpose every quarter-hour when they briefly rear their heads. At the same time, there isn't enough written into the story to require one-to-two Horsemen, let alone the four-to-five that actually frequent the picture, or the bevy of whiny evildoers who attempt to manipulate the protagonists like puppets. And this doesn't even take into account the actual culprit behind the figurehead villain, or the ringleader prestidigitator behind all the human pawns ushered about on a global chessboard - or Woody Harrelson's dual role as a twin, which has to be one of the most unnecessary gimmicks ever employed.

Once again, the biggest problem with this film is the depiction of magic. Every trick is not simple sleight-of-hand or misdirection, but rather outrageously over-complicated feats of absurdity - so extreme that only computer-generated imagery can be used to represent them. Since movie-making itself is something of a deception, this dependence on utterly unbelievable cheats of matter and energy - which could have been possible through editing techniques alone - only dulls the sense of wonderment. None of the illusions performed are even remotely engaging, especially considering that after each one is demonstrated, a flashback has to rudely interrupt the action to explain how it was orchestrated. Certainly, none of it is inspirational. Like "The Game" (1997), a constant dubiousness presides over every endeavor, introducing perpetual doubt as to the truthfulness of the storytelling. By the end, viewers will wish it was all just a big dream sequence.

If it weren't bad enough that all of the phantasms were designed specifically to make the audience feel stupid, the characters appear to be scripted to be deliberately annoying, as if to provoke further agitation. Everyone is overly confident - or they sit in the background, silently being smarter than everyone else. Repartee and flirtation hope to distract the audience from the unoriginality of the various missions, each involving time, training, and resources that couldn't possibly be available.

And, most distressing of all, are the plot holes (or elements of laziness), which are so large and numerous that the entirety of the Thames could be poured into them. Language barriers and deadly weapons never present problems; the Horsemen are acknowledged and welcomed in every country as if universal celebrities, despite the fact that they're wanted criminals who have been in hiding for a year (even in specialized product launch events they're applauded as if superheroes crashing a party); geographical inconsistencies and the passing of time are completely ignored; the planning and coordination of various ruses are conducted mostly off-screen, as if in an alternate universe where nothing can interfere with them; hypnotization is conjured up continuously with total effectiveness, as if Jedi Masters were commanding the weak-minded; and characters survive daring ordeals that would normally require diving equipment or Olympic training or animal wranglers or, at the very least, plenty of implanted assistants ready to feign shock or surprise (at one point, a random street-crowd onlooker has a pigeon fly out of his pants). For a movie all about precise plotting and skillful swindles, it sure is sloppy.

• The Massie Twins

Now you see me 2 is not as good as the first one, which is typical for a sequel. But now you see me 2 is not one of those terrible sequels. For one thing I really enjoyed the acting, I thought that the acting was very well done by every cast member, and Lizzy Caplan is a good addition to the horsemen, her positive energy and witty humor works well with the film. Mark Ruffalo was alright in this one, and in my opinion he wasn't as good here as in the first one. OK, I enjoyed Woody Harrelson and his character, but his evil twin brother was just a big mistake and I really think the character would've been better off by being played by a different actor, I also thought the twin brother was just really annoying and purposefully weird and I thought his character was just crap. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine have really strong presences in this movie and they really give great performances. Daniel Radcliffe is alright, not quite as good as I thought he would be, but still not terrible or bad. And last but not least, there is Dave Franco, the sexy smoldering Dave Franco...... He is great here, he is one of my favorite things about this film. The action is good, not as great or often as in the original movie, but what's here is still sufficient. I think now you see me 2 wraps up nicely too, Morgan freeman ends it in one of his great famous monologues, and I thought the ending was good. 7/10 for Now you see me 2.