Now You See Me 2 (The Second Act)

Opens June 10, 2016
Directed by Jon M. Chu
Genre: Suspense
Rated PG-13 for violence and some language
Grade: A-

“There is Always More Than What’s On the Surface”

Director Jon Chu and Summit Entertainment deliver a sequel that is just as spellbinding as the original. Now You See Me grossed an impressive sum of $351.7 million the summer of 2013 going up against Man of Steel, Fast the Furious, Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Now You See Me: The Second Act opens in theaters nationwide on June 10 with most of the original cast back for a mesmerizing storyline that will require you to pay attention.

This film brings back stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco as three of the Four Horsemen, a troupe of magicians that follow a mysterious organization called the “Eye”.

The film opens in 1984 with a young boy saying goodbye to his father, a master magician, before he is set to perform an underwater escape trick. He climbs inside a green safe, which is then dropped into a river. The boy stares at his watch and when 300 minutes is up, he realizes his father is not going to escape. He is inconsolable.

Now You See Me 2 picks up 30 years later and one year after the original ended. Illusionist and leader of the Horsemen Danny Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg of The Social Network and Batman V Superman) is using his Tarot card to gain access to what appears to be a dilapidated water plant on the outskirts of New York City. Once inside, Atlas communicates with “Eye” who tells him that his time to lead will come.

You don’t often view a sequel as good as or better than the first, but Director Jon Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation and the Step Up franchise) has brought us an original screenplay by Ed Solomon just in time for summer. His fast direction fills in the plot holes and the choreography and magical set pieces provide viewers with a hypnotic feeling as they are captivated by the illusions. NYSM 2 was filmed in London and Macau in 2014 and 2015. Peter Deming (Oz the Great and Powerful and The Cabin in the Woods) does an astounding job as the cinematographer, bringing us a solid film with remarkable camera angles.

Now You See Me 2 is a film you don’t want to miss this summer. Amid all the action, cartoons and comics this summer, NYSM2 invites the audience to be part of the act. Make plans before this magical heist thriller disappears.

Starring:

Jesse Eisenberg as J. Daniel “Danny” Atlas

Mark Ruffalo as Dylan Rhodes

Woody Harrelson as Merritt McKinney

Dave Franco as Jack Wilder

Lizzy Caplan as Lula

Daniel Radcliffe as Walter Mabry

Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley

Michael Caine as Arthur Tressler

Jay Chou as Li

Sanaa Lathan as Agent Natalie Austin

People see the Horsemen as noble Robin Hoods, but I believe their first attack was just a set up for an even bigger reveal. If you think you’ve seen it all take another look.