Now You See Me 2
DVD
Review
by Kam Williams
Consummate
Magicians Reunite for Another Cloak-and-Dagger Adventure
It's been
three years since we last saw the world's greatest illusionists, aka
the Four Horsemen, playing a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the
FBI. Now, the master magicians have resurfaced for a mesmerizing,
mindbending adventure which ups the ante in terms of both audacity
and visual capture.
This
bombastic, bells-and-whistles sequel is given to wowing the audience
via a combination of spectacular stunts and a dizzying array of
exotic locales. Just don't expect much in the way of a coherent plot
and this pretentious, globe-trotting fantasy will never disappoint
you.
Directed by
Jon M. Chu (Jem and the Holograms), the picture co-stars Woody
Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Dave Franco who reprise their lead
roles as Merritt, Daniel and Jack, respectively. Lizzy Caplan rounds
out the principal cast as Lula, replacing Isla Fisher as a members of
Four Horsemen. The A-list ensemble also includes Academy
Award-winners Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, as well as Daniel
("Harry Potter") Radcliffe and Sanaa Lathan.
After
needlessly filling in a superfluous bit of backstory from 1984, the
movie fast-forwards to the present where we find our heroes being
blackmailed by Walter Mabry (Radcliffe), a billionaire bad boy bent
on world domination. He has designs on "The Stick," a
powerful computer chip which will afford him unfettered access to the
back door of every computer on the planet.
Of course,
the skeptical quartet proves adept at staying a step ahead of the
megalomaniacal misanthrope. For, instead of accommodating the creep,
they proceed to flaunt their seemingly-supernatural powers in daring
displays of hocus-pocus.
Yes, the
group is supposedly worried about restoring its tarnished reputation,
too. However, that concern definitely takes a back seat to staging a
series of increasingly-implausible magical acts.
Plus,
there's a healthy competition among the four which has each
endeavoring to outdo the other. The ensuing ever-escalating feats
make great fodder for an eye-popping blockbuster, even if what's
served up on screen is purely a product of cartoon physics.
Excellent
(3.5 stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence and some
profanity
Running time: 129 minutes
Distributor: Lionsgate Home
Entertainment
DVD Extras: Audio commentary by
director Jon M. Chu; and "You Can't Look Away" featurette.
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