Monday, August 26, 2013

Now You See Me Review









Now You See Me


Release Date: 8th August 2013 - Australia


Production Companies
Summit Entertainment (presents)
K/O Paper Products
SOIXAN7E QUIN5E
See Me Louisiana

Distribution
Hopscotch Films


Genre: Crime/Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 116 minutes


Budget: $75,000,000

Box Office Gross: $351,723,989 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A troupe of illusionists known as The Four Horsemen mesmerises audiences with their dazzling magic shows while pulling off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders and
showering the stolen profits
on the audience members.

FBI Special Agent Dylan is determined to make the magicians pay for what they have done and stop them before they carry out an even more daring heist. But he must work with Alma, an Interpol detective of whom he is immediately suspicious. In
desperation, he turns
to Thaddeus, a famous
debunker of magic, who
claims that the bank
robbery involved
disguises and video tricks.
One thing Dylan and
Alma can agree on is that
the Horsemen must have
someone on the outside.
The key to ending the
wizards' crime spree is
to find him (or her). But
who is this outside
person? Is it Thaddeus?
Or Alma? Or is this just
magic?


Cast
Jesse Eisenberg - J. Daniel
Atlas
Mark Ruffalo - Dylan Rhodes
Woody Harrelson - Merritt
McKinney
Isla Fisher - Henley Reeves
Dave Franco - Jack Wilder
Morgan Freeman - Thaddeus Bradley
Michael Caine - Arthur Tressler
Mélanie Laurent - Alma Dray
Michael Kelly - Agent Fuller
Common - Agent Evans
David Warshofsky - Cowan
José Garcia - Etienne Forcier
Jessica Lindsey - Hermia
Caitriona Balfe - Jasmine Tressler
Stephanie Honore - Atlas Groupie
Conan O'Brien - Himself (Cameo)
Diego Mero - Dylan (12 Years Old)
Elias Koteas - Lionel Shrike (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Louis Leterrier
Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer - Boaz Yakon
Story/Screenplay - Edward Ricourt
Screenplay - Ed Solomon
Executive Producer - Michael Schaefer
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Stan Wlodkowski
Producers - Bobby Cohen,
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci
Magic Inspiration - David Copperfield
Head Magic Consultant - David Kwong
Chief Mentalist and Hypnotism Consultant -
Keith Barry
Production Designer - Peter Wenham
Supervising Art Director - Thomas Valentine
Art Director - Scott Plauche
Art Director: Additional Photography -
Andrew Neskoromny
Set Decorator - Beauchamp Fontaine
Costume Designer - Jenny Egan
Directors of Photography - Mitchell Amundsen
and Larry Fong
Aerial Directors of Photography: Second Unit,
New York - Hans Bjerno and Dylan Goss
Helicopter Pilot: Second Unit, New York -
Frédéric North
Unit Production Manager: Additional
Photography - Udi Nedivi
First Assistant Director - Joe Camp III
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator
(Uncredited) - G.A. Aguilar
Additional Unit Director/Senior Visual Effects
Supervisor - Nicholas Brooks
Stunt Coordinator - Stephen A. Pope
Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - Rick Le Fevour
Fight Coordinator - Chuck Jeffreys
Special Effects Coordinator - Guy Clayton
Special Effects Coordinator: New York - Jeff Brink
Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Craig Hammack
Visual Effects Supervisor: Image Engine - Andrew Chapman
Visual Effects Producer - Thomas Elder-Groebe
Executive Producer: ILM - Jill Brooks
Visual Effects Executive Producer: Image Engine -
Shawn Walsh
Digital Model Supervisor: ILM - Russell Paul
Editors - Robert Leighton and
Vincent Tabaillon
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -
Steve Boedekker
Additional Sound Design - Will Files
Supervising Sound Editor - Jonathan Null
Re-Recording Mixer - David Parker
Foley Supervisor - Frank Rinella
Foley Artists - Ronni Brown,
Sean England and Andrea Gard
Music - Brian Tyler


Review
This film was an astonishing surprise, and I never expected it to be a decent film at the start, but then, it dazzled me with its twists and turns. NOW YOU SEE ME is a detailed portrayal of a heist plot mixed with a hybrid of magicians and trickery. The characters conduct themselves deviously in a Robin Hood robbery that complements the stylized nature of their personalities. Director Louis Leterrier creates mystery, suspense, fun and magic in a complex and twisted storyline that compels viewers from the beginning to the end. The film isn't as flawed as critics made it out to be, except for its final twist, which is the one thing I can agree with.

Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo and Morgan Freeman were all professionally committed to their roles and demonstrated the acting money could buy. While the leading role could have gone to Cillian Murphy or Jim Sturgess, Eisenberg was good enough at being the lead.

I have value in this big-budgeted elaborate film with its ingenious aspects. It isn't a sci-fi-themed caper of going into people's dreams like Inceptionjust showcasing elaborate illusions and tricks. If you enjoyed this film, you also watch similar magic-themed non-heist movies, The Prestige and The Illusionist, for obvious comparisons to NOW YOU SEE ME.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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