Now You See Me 2: Movie Review

Now You See Me 2 gives the illusion of a great international caper, but fails to truly mesmerize. Though moments in the Jon M. Chu-directed thriller excite more than its predecessor, it still wavers.

The Summit Entertainment popcorn flick picks up a couple years after the original, with the Four Horsemen (illusionist extraordinaires who transfix their audiences and expose corruption) resurfacing after a brief, legal-filled hiatus, and with a new member. But, their grand reunion tour is cut short when a tech genius forces them to pull off their greatest heist.

Lizzy Caplan, Sanaa Lathan, and Daniel Radcliffe join the original cast of Now You See Me for the sequel, minus Isla Fisher. Unfortunately, that acting talent (along with Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Oscar-winning actors Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman) feels a bit wasted.

The old adage goes: "a good magician never reveals his secret." Now You See Me 2 breaks that rule. And even though movie magic and sly editing can make any impossible magic trick seem possible on film, this budding franchise makes it (somewhat) believable. Flashbacks even go so far as to explain how they pull off some of the stunts. In these grand explanations, they misdirect you from some of the bigger mysteries they leave unexplained.

Rated PG-13 for violence and some language, Now You See Me 2 is not suitable for young children. As with the first movie, this sequel dives deep into the world of illusion, magic, and hypnotism, and includes references to Tarot cards. Foul language is present in the dialogue, as are some uses of profanity (using God's name in vain).

The action/comedy/thriller hybrid has universal themes to go along with its – the studio's hoping – universal appeal (especially given its strategic international settings of Macau, London, and New York City). Revenge pushes the plot and our main characters, and the consequences aren't easy to escape. Also, we're reminded that a divided house falls, as does a divided team of illusionists.

Now You See Me 2 may be pack full of twists and turns, but has an air of predictability. That, and for the reasons previously explained, this sequel is not a favorite.