hugely entertaining

Rating: 8/10 (1 August 2015)

Now You See Me starts with a card trick that seems to be played on we, the movie-viewing audience. From the moment the card we picked is seen projection mapped onto the side of a building, there is one question constantly asked: How did they do that? As the bank robbing 'magic' pulses along, a sub-plot involving a fatal attempt at escapology in the past hints at relevance to current events. The cast are outstanding, there is a brisk line in jokes and put-downs, and most of all, the audience is trying to constantly keep up without ever managing to get ahead. The reveal at the end is fiendishly tricky and emotionally poignant. It also has the two qualities required of any perfect twist - it is both surprising and inevitable. Yes, there are plot holes and incongruities, but they only occur to you after the credits have rolled, and the more pedantic viewer can have a field day going over them. Some films you just have to give yourself over to and enjoy the ride, and Now You See Me is a perfect example.