MMH IN-DEPTH: Now You See Me (2013) PROLOGUE: It’s a big world out there, and there’s much to overcome, as we move toward whatever it is we’re looking for in this life — our motivation derived from just about anywhere we can find it. When we have the time to stop, briefly, to reassess our course, we might even experience a moment or two outside of ourselves. That is to say, we see our surroundings in a new way, if for a few fleeting moments, before the world puts us back under its spell of pattern and predictability. It may not be the stuff of smoke and mirrors, but it is magic nonetheless; we take notice of something apart from our everyday existence. Remember, it’s a big world out there, and while we’re immersed in our own minuscule pockets of the planet, we must also be mindful of the countless wonders, near and far, that live in those whose motivation is to either show us the wondrous, or witness it. You see, all magic binds what we know to be true in our minds with what we wish to be true in our hearts; it’s about the fleeting moments and the enduring show. THE STORY: One by one, we’re introduced to four talented magicians, each with his or her own trademark trick — street magic; escapes; slight of hand; and mentalism — that has, so far, only wowed a small number of audiences in the following cities: Chicago; New York; New Orleans; and somewhere in Florida. Soon, these four prestidigitators — J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg); Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher); Jack Wilder (Dave Franco); and Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson) — will follow clues that lead to each other and their collective future on the biggest stages, performing the grandest illusions for seemingly-supernatural amounts of money. But wait, we learn money isn’t their true motivation; there’s another card in play and it involves a finale “that’s sure to amaze.” Let’s take a closer look at the act known as “The Four Horsemen” and their first feat performed in, the city of illusion itself, otherwise known as Las Vegas. After selecting, at random, a Frenchman from the audience, they convince the crowd he’s been transported to his bank in Paris, where he appears via video while millions of Euros are being sucked out of the vault. Abracadabra, they just robbed a bank. If pulling off the long-distance heist wasn’t enough, the horsemen dump cash on the audience for dramatic effect, and perhaps, karma effect. “How’d they do that?” Enter Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman) and his persona as the tell-all spoiler of professional magic. When the questioning of the four modern-day wizards in a federal holding facility proves ludicrous, FBI special agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) cajoles Thaddeus into revealing the secret to the bank heist. Deconstructing the illusion, step by step, is nearly as much fun as the actual stunt itself. Agent Rhodes and Interpol investigator, Alma Dray (Melanie Laurent), know how they pulled off the heist, but cannot prove any of it in court. Alas, they must watch and wait until “The Four Horsemen” work their magic during an upcoming show in New Orleans. Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine) is a financier who fancies a good magic trick, and happens to be bankrolling the quartet’s three-part national tour, complete with private jet. Before long, he’s to grab the spotlight while being held accountable for his company’s actions, or lack thereof, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in and around their host city. Let’s just say the audience members won’t bounce bad checks anytime soon — because Arthur’s been bounced from the act. On the run from federal authorities, our crafty crew avoid capture long enough to stage their threefold finale in NYC: distract police; steal a vault full of money; and, literally, vanish into thin air. At this point, “The Four Horsemen” are beloved by the impoverished and despised by the established; their open-air venue is “standing room only” surrounding a few buildings along the water. Without revealing too much, they bring their act to new heights without a wire in sight. The question remains: who is the mysterious string-puller behind the group’s sudden rise to magical glory? We’re given mere slight visual clues of a hooded figure who apparently recruited his fab four, and the purpose escapes us, that is, until a prolonged game of “cat and mouse” is suddenly reversed. We learn the mouse is the one who wanted the cat to follow his or her lead. In the end, the truth behind their trick helps the thousands who suffered to cash in, while a “special few” are forced to cash out (curtain falls, but probably not for long). The key to it all is knowledge of a fallen magician whose legacy bridges the gap between an elaborate trick and a particular truth. MMH STAR RATING: 3.75 out of 5 stars (75%) THE LESSON: If you focus too closely on the trivial, you’re likely to miss the profound. THE GOOD: The real trick is when director Louis Leterrier and writers Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt challenge us to watch the three elaborate heists unfold before our very eyes, and then dare us to deconstruct each one as they’re also revealed to us through Thaddeus Bradley. Little do we know, it’s all part of the misdirection which gives way to a grand finale that truly pays off. The film’s pacing is lively. THE BAD: It’s difficult to suspend disbelief during the movie’s visual illusions because, uh, it’s a movie and any CGI house can pull off wireless floats and vanishing acts with the click of a mouse or tap of a touch-screen. STARRING: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Dave Franco, Isla Fischer, and Michael Caine. WHERE: Now available for your movie queue. GENRE: Psychological, Heist, Action ALSO LOOK FOR: Melanie Laurent as Interpol investigator “Alma Dray.” YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: “The Prestige,” directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johansson MPAA RATING: PG-13 RUNNING TIME: 1 hr. 56 min
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 03:33:31 +0000
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