Shadows on the Wall | Arthouse Films

Shadows catches up ’26
Reviews of films I only managed to see late in the game...

On this page: NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'T

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 13.Jan.26

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Review by Rich Cline | 3/5

dir Ruben Fleischer
scr Michael Lesslie, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, Seth Grahame-Smith
with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, Lizzy Caplan, Rosamund Pike, Thabang Molaba, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo
release US/UK 14.Nov.25
25/US Lionsgate 1h53

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smith, greenblatt, sessa, eisenberg, fisher and franco

Whizzy and entertaining, this 10-years-later sequel carries on the slickly over-produced Robin Hood antics of the ever-expanding magical Horsemen. This is another elaborately twisty heist directed with style and humour by Ruben Fleischer. Flashy settings and locations liven things up, while the magic itself is once again more reliant on camera trickery than actual illusion making. It's not as smart as it looks, but it's still a guilty pleasure.

Things kick off as series of mysterious calling cards bring the four Horsemen (Eisenberg, Harrelson, Franco and Fisher) back together in New York, teamed up this time with three young upstarts (Smith, Sessa and Greenblatt). Then they're propelled into a series of wacky encounters in Europe and Abu Dhabi, squaring off against a dodgy South African diamond mine owner (Pike). Along the way they run into an old mentor (Freeman) and another Horseman (Caplan). But everyone is trying to fool everyone else, and the trickery knows no bounds.

None of this holds water, so the gyrations of the crazy storyline actually feel a little dull, especially as the dialog features a nonstop barrage of cool-sounding but ultimately pointless exposition. And Fleischer has to strain to give the expanding number of cast members their individual moments to shine. But the actors are having a lot of infectious fun, so the general tone is breezy and fun. And the constant sight gags dazzle us into submission. Like the earlier films, this is not remotely as good as it should be, even if it keeps us mildly entertained all the way through.

themes, language, violence 28.Jan.26

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL