Too much deus ex machina spoils the twists.

Rating: 5/10 (15 June 2013)

Now You See Me is a painstakingly woven thriller that, like a magic trick, is really much less intricate than it seems.
The truly over-the-top set ups left me sceptical that the writer could pull off something amazing, and I was right. He relies on unnecessarily elaborate explanations for events in the story that depend on complex plots, mannequins, and unrealistic escape plans.
SPOILER: There is one scene, the car chase, that had me shaking my head at the sheer lack of imagination. Let me explain: Bad guy escapes in a car. Bad guy is pursued by good guys. Bad guy crashes on a bridge, bursts into flames and dies. BUT as it turns out, the OTHER bad guys had an identical car on the bridge that was ACTUALLY the car that crashed with a cadaver from the morgue inside, leaving the bad guy unscathed. Jesus...really?
Anyway, when the final twist comes around it is a pick-pocketing cheat of a reveal that robs the audience of any chance to solve the mystery before it happens. There is no real explanation given for the motives of the villain. Basically he says "It was me", and there is no discussion as to his motivation whatsoever. It was frustrating to watch it unfold. It was almost like the writer had painted himself into a corner and desperately tried to weave in the true villain at the last moment.
That being said, watching the mystery thicken is entertaining and will keep you glued to the screen, even if you are cheated of your time at the end it is a worthwhile hour and a half, much better spent than other offerings of 2013. Give it a try.