by Henry Kornits*
Worth: $14.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, Rosamund Pike, Morgan Freeman
Intro:
… a fun, flashy film that’s great if you don’t think too deeply about the story or the characters.
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t is the third in the series, following The Four Horsemen, a group of magicians who use illusions to take down the corrupt. In this installment, they are working with three modern magicians, and faced with even bigger challenges, full of magic tricks, fast paced chases and a shocking twist.
This great looking installment is directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, Uncharted) continuing the series’ employment of commercial filmmakers, such as the 2013 original’s Louis Leterrier (Fast X, The Incredible Hulk) and John M. Chu (Wicked) calling the shots on the 2019 sequel.
The third entry’s use of CGI is extremely convincing, creating the illusions, magic tricks and fighting scenes to look even smoother and more entertaining than the previous films in the franchise. Humour is one of the film’s strongpoints with actors – most notably Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher – delivering hilarious moments throughout the action, and making the virtual 2 hour running time feel like nothing; another magic trick perhaps?
Whilst the movie is all upside when it comes to entertainment, unfortunately the story can get confusing because there’s so much going on at once; new characters, plot twists, and side stories that don’t always make sense. Some of the characters also sound “too intellectual”, as if anyone would talk like that in real life. Which all makes some of the jokes fall flat, and due to a lack of emotional depth, it makes it hard to care about the characters.
Overall, Now You See Me, Now You Don’t is a fun, flashy film that’s great if you don’t think too deeply about the story or the characters. It’s great if you just want to watch breathtaking magic tricks and action.
*Henry Kornits is a year 10 student at Sydney Secondary College Balmain campus, who is conducting a 1-week work experience program with FilmInk.
