Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is devoid of the fugitive thrills, star charisma, and moral ambiguity that made the first film remotely a success. Instead, it turns its protagonists into superheroes with plot conveniences at their disposal, and none of the big names in the cast really get to shine their personalities. Every character feels empty, with the exceptions of those played by Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Morgan Freeman. Rosamund Pike is given truly awful material to work with and a very odd South African accent.
The movie struggles to answer the question of why this sequel exists so many years later. Why this heist? Why this villain? The stakes feel rather low for a third film, and when the script finally comes around to attempting satisfying responses, you’re left wishing you had not heard them. The movie is not even quite able to explain why we should be impressed by these magicians, or if what they are doing has any meaning at all beyond prestige. Things happen because the story begs them to, but a late-act turn manages to make any development feel null and void anyway. The action ranges from fine to riddled with glaring gaps in logic, and even when the movie begs you to turn off your brain and enjoy the fights and humor, there is a real lack of excitement and very irritating script choices in the way.
Like the Horsemen’s magic tricks, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t feels forcefully manufactured for a wide audience. If you enjoyed both previous films, this one delivers more of the same, but it seriously fails to justify its existence beyond some big visuals and sets, even with all the star power and energy on deck.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Review by: Gal Balaban