Now You See Me: Now You Don't review - Fun reunion where Horsemen pass the torch, keeping magic alive despite convoluted plot

Now You See Me: Now You Don't story

In Now You See Me: Now You Don't, the original members of The Four Horsemen—J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), and Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher)—make a triumphant comeback, but not before a falling out. This time around, they're ready to take on a new, high-stakes mission. Atlas enlists the help of three younger, equally talented illusionists—Charlie, Bosco, and June—in a heist to steal an enormous, valuable diamond from the powerful money-laundering arms dealer Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike). In the end, the eight magicians must work together, using their combined skills in illusion, sleight-of-hand, and advanced technology to defeat the villain and bring down her criminal network.

Now You See Me: Now You Don't review

Watching magic and illusions on the big screen is a wonderful escape, like Houdini's, if the tricks are up the sleeves and invisible to the naked eye. In the past two films of the Now You See Me franchise, we have seen how they successfully depict heists through the lens of magic, creating a visual treat for the audience. It's been almost a decade since Now You See Me 2 came out, and the third film seems nothing short of a reunion of sorts, where we see how lives have changed for everyone. But what new things can be done apart from the reunion? How about bringing in a new generation of magicians who are rookies but know their tricks so well?

The third installment begins with an exciting reunion that evokes nostalgia and significantly increases anticipation for what comes next. However, it quickly becomes clear that the world has changed, and the Four Horsemen no longer need to be in the same room to demonstrate their illusionist skills. We are introduced to these three young and brilliant magicians – Charlie (Justice Smith), Bosco Leroy (Dominic Sessa), and June (Ariana Greenblatt).

Among the three, Charlie is the one who creates these illusions of the Horsemen because he worships them and is inspired by their successful heists. With their latest show, the three of them, in no time, get the attention of Atlas, who finds them and confronts them for using the Four Horsemen to show their Robin Hood side. It's totally like how you see Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Dhoom 2, where she steals on behalf of Hrithik Roshan's character, but still he is blamed for it. Well, like Dwight says in The Office, "Identity theft is not a joke; millions of families suffer every year!" A similar situation occurs with the OG Horsemen, which forces them to reunite after a decade.

I stumbled upon Now You See Me accidentally about a decade ago or so and immediately fell for this world of magic where there's a heist involved but also some sort of revenge saga that leaves you in shock by the end of the film. When the second film came out with Daniel Radcliffe as the main antagonist, it again pulled me in, knowing that there's a man who doesn't have a wand anymore and doesn't love magic like he did when he was a boy.

At this point, the story transitions to a new generation, where some senior members are willing to pass the baton, but not all of them, including Atlas, who remains egotistical and seeks to outdo others when new tricks are performed in front of him. In the third installment, there's a scene at a French chateau where the OGs and the younger magicians come together to show off their magical talents, and it's definitely fun filler before the thrill continues.

The basic plot of the film is the theft of a heavy diamond called "Heart," which is owned by Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), who is heading a crime syndicate and taking the reins over her father. The actor with that devilish smile, like in her Gone Girl days, brings that stability as a matriarch with "daddy issues" and doesn't mind going for the kill for anything.

In this film, there is a stronger villain, and the heist appears straightforward, lacking any backstory about stealing the "Heart" or returning it to the victims of the atrocities committed. But like all the Now You See Me films, the visuals are deceptive, and so is the plot. The more the tricks become intriguing, the more the plot becomes slightly convoluted and almost goes on the path of predictability. It drops hints along the way, so by the time the final reveal occurs, it feels as if you have already seen the ghost, making it no longer frightening.

However, the film remains true to its theme of never revealing the trick like a true magician, leaving viewers gasping—a reaction I observed multiple times during my viewing.

Michael Lesslie, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, and Seth Grahame-Smith cooked up the script in an attempt to make it tight. However, it's not without flaws. However, the film continues to engage viewers, likely because of its strong cast, the highly anticipated reunion, and the enchanting qualities that always leave audiences mesmerised.

Ruben Fleischer, who directed the forgettable Uncharted last, brings excitement to the film with several high moments, including transforming Abu Dhabi roads into a race circuit and providing more opportunities for each character to showcase their talent. Fisher comes after a gap of one film, but you know that she has been brought back for a reason and not just because she was amiss in Now You See Me 2.

Moreover, it was also a delightful moment to have Morgan Freeman reprise his role as Thaddeus Bradley, even if it was a brief one. Makers here did know how to bring a punchy moment or a depth for a film that's not supposed to be taken seriously.

Eisenberg delivers a line in the film about proving the magic instead of merely discussing it. The film also sticks to it and brings the fun element that's probably compromised in so many ways, especially in this genre.

Now You See Me: Now You Don't verdict

This magic-infused heist film is a fun-filled reunion that sees the Horsemen successfully pull the rabbit out of the hat once more, passing the sleight-of-hand torch to a new generation.