As my showing of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t wrapped up, which is the third installment of the popular magician heist franchise, I found myself smiling ear to ear. When it’s expressed that a trip to the movies can be the greatest form of escapism, this is the kind of film that best represents that. Every entry has been highly entertaining, and the ensemble cast, which continues to grow with each magic caper, appears to be having so much fun that it’s nearly impossible not to be caught up in its infectious charms.
For some reason, critics have been especially harsh on these films, likely forgetting that sometimes moviegoers long for a break from the day’s real-life problems and want to dive into a highly stylized work of magic and intrigue. I originally called this series cinematic junk food, but I realized that was too harsh. It takes skill to create a product that the audience clamors for, almost like a cinematic form of pop music that you just can’t get out of your head. The Now You See Me IP is all about sleight of hand and the act of illusion, but the biggest magic trick it has pulled off is becoming a franchise that audiences really didn’t know they needed.
The first film seemed to appear out of nowhere in 2013. Directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin and Edward Riccourt with story credit going to both Yakin and Ricourt, Now You See Me centers around an FBI agent named Dylan Rhoades (Mark Ruffalo) and an Interpol agent named Alam Dray (Mélanie Laurent) who are tasked with bringing to justic “The Four Horsemen,” a team of magicians who pull off intricate heists during their performances but personal gain is not their primary motive.
The Four Horsemen reward their audiences with the money as their heists involve taking money from those who gained it from nefarious means and giving it back to those who deserve it. The Four Horsemen consist of J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and the film’s plot features more twists and turns with the inclusion of Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), a former magician, and Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine), the first film’s main antagonist.
Now You See Me worked as early summer entertainment when it was released on May 31, 2013, because it represented what makes summer movies so much fun. It has a slick ensemble cast, flashy production design, and a plot that was easy enough to digest while still offering up a few tricky surprises by the time the credits began to roll. Heist films have long been popular with moviegoers, and magic has been known to intrigue the masses, so combining the two elements was a stroke of popcorn movie genius.
It all came together to form a clever movie mash-up, mixing a crime thriller with the art of illusion, with all the razzle-dazzle of an actual magic show. While watching Now You See Me, you feel like you’re both a member of the audience watching it and a part of the act as you watch The Four Horsemen gradually show their hands. The audience feels like they’re watching the show while also being in on the con.
The first film also set up The Four Horsemen with distinct personalities that anyone in the audience can see themselves in. Almost like having a magician version of The Avengers; each member stands out with a particular set of skills. Atlas, with all the arrogance and fast-paced talking that only Eisenberg could expertly deliver, is their street magician leader, while Franco’s Jack Wilder brings sleight of hand and his skills as an impressionist to the mix. He’s also the youngest member of the team, which appeals to the younger demo seeing the film.
As the lone female Horsemen, Fisher’s Henley Reeves taps into that demo as the expert escapist, and then there’s Harrelson’s Merritt McKinney. The hypnotist and mentalist of the Horsemen, he’s the veteran of the group, with his character speaking to a pocket of the audience that knows experience means there are more tricks to had up their sleeves. Together, they are a well-oiled team as characters but also as actors. Everyone here appears to be having the team of their lives in their roles, and that’s something that goes a long way with audiences looking for a good time at the movies. If the cast looks like they’re having a blast, it’s easy to get the audience in on the act.
Then there is the central narrative that sets up a sort of Us Vs. Them scenario, as the Horsemen aren’t thieving for selfish financial gain. They’re doing it for a bigger purpose, and it’s extremely relatable to root for characters that want to punish someone for taking from the little guy. Caine’s Arthur Tressler is the owner of Tressler Insurance, the company that denied paying out the claim following Lionel Shrike’s (Elias Koteas) death. Lionel Shrike was not only a friend of Thaddeus Bradley, although they pretended to be rivals in public, but he also had a personal link to Ruffalo’s FBI Agent.
The end result for Tressler is the Horsemen using their show in New Orleans to transfer millions from his bank accounts to members of the audience who were denied insurance claims by his company after Hurricane Katrina. Think Robin Hood with a sleight of hand twist as this group of magicians serves as heroes in the greater story of the film.
Audiences ate all of this up when the film was released, as it quietly made a decent amount of money. Domestically, Now You See Me pulled in $117.7 million, and the worldwide haul ended up being $351.7 million on a rather slim $75 million budget. Critics didn’t seem to be down with the fun being had as the reviews were split down the middle with the film registering a 51 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that reads, “Now You See Me’s thinly sketched characters and scattered plot rely on sleight of hand from the director to distract audiences.”
Perhaps the audience was distracted by an elaborate magic trick. The plot may not hold up to much scrutiny, and the film’s twist ending, which was heavily criticized by most critics, might be a bit far-fetched, but who cares! Audiences were all in on the film’s escapism, fun, and the charming chemistry of its ensemble cast. Instead of overthinking things, they simply had a good time with it.
The success of Now You See Me spawned a sequel, Now You See Me 2, which came three years later. Jon M. Chu, ahead of his good fortune helming Wicked and Wicked: For Good, stepped in to direct the second installment, while new cast additions helped beef up the already impressive ensemble. Daniel Radcliffe joined the cast as Arthur Tressler’s illegitimate son, while Lizzy Caplan became a new member of the Four Horsemen, replacing Fisher’s Henley (Fisher couldn’t reprise her role because she was pregnant at the time).
Given the first film’s twist ending, an FBI deputy director named Natalie Austin was introduced, portrayed by Sanaa Lathan, to track down Ruffalo’s former FBI agent for his dealings with the Horsemen. The sequel amped up with people loved about the first movie (heists missed with the captivating visuals of the magic tricks) while also leaning into its sometimes over-the-top tone. The sequel proved that the IP doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t meant to be cleverly dissected. It’s all a bit ridiculous, but all involved own it, and the audience is in on that trick.
Now You See Me 2 wasn’t as financially successful in the U.S. ($65.1 million), but it was still huge internationally, allowing for a global haul of $334.9 million a bigger $120 million budget. If one wonders why a third film was given the go-ahead all these years later, look no further than the international appeal of the brand. In China alone, Now You See Me 2 pulled in $97 million, and pre-sales for the third film hint at another impressive run there despite Hollywood movies being relatively soft in the Middle Kingdom after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Critics were even harder on the sequel, giving it a 34 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus that reads, “Now You See Me 2 packs in even more twists and turns than its predecessor, but in the end, it has even less hiding up its sleeve.” It’s often noted that critics seem to be out of touch with what audiences want, and this IP seems to prove it. Many of the critical reviews nitpick the film’s narrative and twists and turns rather than simply enjoying the ride. These movies aren’t meant to be picked apart. It’s not necessary to review it as if you’re smarter than the magicians presenting the ultimate trick. The goal is to sit back and enjoy the show. With entertainment and gleeful fun so infectious on display, it boggles the mind as to why critics have been especially harsh on this franchise.
As Now You See Me: Now You Don’t hits screens this weekend, it’s graced with more mixed reviews (currently 58 percent), but audiences just might prove once again that those reviews don’t matter. Some box office tracking has it topping The Running Man this weekend, and it’s expected to play especially well overseas. This third installment was able to give fans more of what they love while also expanding on the scope of the heist and magical thrills, while adding new blood to the cast with the additions of Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt, with new villainy being supplied by Rosamund Pike.
The Ruben Fleischer-directed installment hints at more to come (a fourth film is reportedly already in development), and I say bring it on. The Now You See Me IP could very well be the Fast & Furious of magician heist films, with more adventures featuring the Horsemen as they grow and expand their act. During current times that are stressful to say the least, we need a franchise like this to remind us what it’s like to have fun at the movies.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
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