Cliché, Yet It's A Film with A Talented Cast

Rating: 9/10 (8 February 2015)

Thinking about how much creativity came into play throughout the film is no easy feat. When I watched it shortly after its first weekend of release back in May 2013, I left the theater curious and constantly pondering over what happens next for the main characters. It certainly took me a while on how to properly critique it, but here goes:
The story about a group of four successful illusionists who step out of their average parlor trick performances and into something much bigger when they are given mysterious invitations. When they are caught by the FBI at their sold-out act in Las Vegas, there is little to no evidence to land them behind bars, and therefore released.
Stars Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco did outstandingly well as the Four Horsemen with wit, humor, and an intricate amount of knowledge to understand how to enact their plan. For example, I enjoyed the 'Zombieland' nod between Eisenberg and Harrelson (as their personalities in this film started to remind me of their previous work together). Another example is that Dave Franco really stood out when his Jack Wilder character is caught. When confronted by FBI agents while all alone, his knowledge of 'sleight-of-hand' proved beneficial in getting him out of tight spots. Although it does seem deluded and ridiculous that such a thing may happen, it was clever and witty on how it played out on screen.
Mark Ruffalo as an FBI agent pursuing the Horsemen was good for a few laughs. Every time he thinks he's got them in his grasp, he would usually be left outwitted and dumbfounded as to how it happened to him. The reunion of stars Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine since 'The Dark Knight' films was really interesting. They delivered impressively as supporting characters who are also in pursuit of these performers (usually out of their hands and into that of the authorities) and are just as significant to the film's storyline. In one scene, Freeman's character Thaddeus Bradley quoted as saying, "leveling the playing field" for both the FBI and the Horsemen, but his true intentions still felt shady.
Director Louis Leterrier (Transporter, Unleashed) did a splendid job crafting the entire set-up. It's like Robin Hood meets David Copperfield creatively spliced together. Judging by the various heists the Horsemen pull off, mysteriously robbing a bank without getting caught was only the beginning. I can tell that the film did not rely too heavily on CGI for the complex stunts and that most common tricks shown on screen like sleight-of-hand or disappearing acts were practiced countless hours by the cast. Story-wise, it does feel cliché in terms of a typical caper film (albeit adding illusionary elements into it), but still it's a movie that is worth pondering over because with some surprising twists and a few scenarios left unanswered, it's very possible that Four Horsemen's quest is FAR from over.