No more about flash & mirrors, concoction of plots. Review on Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me: The Second Act, the sequel to 2013 smash promised similar awe-striking magic tricks in the teasers, like the ones in the part one. After being in complete awe while watching the computer-generated magic wonders in prequel, I so much expected to see more(rising up to next level) in this thriller-chase flick.

The movie begins from where it is left previously, the Horsemen after making their biggest trick and eloping from the FBI, are now in hiding and waiting to get on with their trickster life. Dylan Rhodes(Mark Ruffalo) who was chasing the Horsemen in the entire first movie and ends up(spoiler alert) being the mastermind behind all the orders to the Horsemen, becomes the new leader trying to take off all the attention on his accomplices. Thaddeus Bradley(Morgan Freeman) is festering in jail since he has been framed for the illicit magical acts that were put by other the magicians.

The Horsemen resurface after a year of exposing the fraud in the insurance company owned by Tressler(Michael Caine). J. Daniel Atlas(Jesse Eisenberg), Jack Wilder(Dave Franco) and Merritt McKinney(Woody Harrelson) are practising for a new performance. They get a new partner Lula May(Lizzy Caplan), the babe who can pull the rug from under the guys. The Horsemen, renegade Robin Hoods, come out to expose a digital magnate but find themselves in an unprecedented situation. The trick goes wrong and their cover is blown, intentions defamed. Finding themselves in Macau, where they meet Walter Mabry(Daniel Radcliffe), a tech prodigy who wants them to steal an all-powerful computer so that he can control everything else, but off the grid.

The Horsemen must try to take him down and get their names clear somehow. Does Mabry’s assignment has something more than that meets the eye? Also, will ever-so-warring duo Danny and Dylan will be able to come through as a unit? To know these you got to watch the movie, but if you are not a fan of many sub-plots you can give it a miss.

The story line is plain and simple, it is same as the first part. While it tries to make movie move forward, it keeps going in circles. Though the writing has some sharp and eliciting, much-needed chuckles but fails to dazzle and deliver magic like in first movie. This one is more of emotional saga, hectic plots, infinite twists and talkative characters(Lula, is all la la la). There are smart tricks like Lula takes a hat out of a rabbit(really excellent trick), but too many people have too many hidden agendas. This concoction of plots also pans out Dylan pursuit for his father’s killer and McKinney, eventually, crosses path with his twin who is impersonating South African gangsters, sometimes gives public performances.

There are few preposterous scenes where all physics laws are defied, where a playing card with a slender chip is flying from one Horseman’s hand, to the bottom of another’s shoe, up on the sleeve of the next, under a collar, down a pant leg, and so on. But there are few pique scenes, like the fight on Macau streets is unreal. It looked like American magicians and Chinese henchman are fighting down the Diagon Alley.

Talking about the performances, Jesse Eisenberg just seems in the auto mode, fast-talking, and shrewd looking, for the umpteenth time(Once a Mark Zuckerberg, always a Mark Zuckerberg). Woody Harrelson is quirky with his forever-the-best comic timings and zest. Dave Franco gets more screen space in this movie(he died last time and missed the big act). Morgan Freeman requires no words of praise, his performance is flawless as Danny’s frenemy. Lizzy Caplan, the girl Horsemen, acts well as kooky Lula. Daniel Radcliffe, who is a mash-up of all the British villains, is wasted in this role and adds nothing to the already star-studded cast. What makes it even ironic, that Harry Potter star is a bad guy incapable of any magic.

Now You See Me 2 gives the illusion of clever deception, fun and flamboyant. It is good to be fooled, but not scammed, there’s a difference.

The sequel does not have flash and mirrors, it is just concoction of many plots and sub-plots.