Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is pure magic and a breath of fresh air for all to enjoy. The third installment is an absolute joy. It brings back everything we loved from the first two films and combines it with fresh and fun ideas and actors.

The Now You See Me franchise is one near and dear to my heart. I saw Now You See Me in theaters in 2013, and that was the film that made me fall in love with the movies. Previously, my moviegoing was limited to adaptations of young adult book franchises such as The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games. It’s a strange movie for that click to occur. It wasn’t a highbrow film like The Godfather or a revolutionary blockbuster like The Dark Knight, but it was the first time a movie had ever truly surprised me. The Dylan Rhodes fifth Horseman plot twist blew my 14-year-old mind. Also, it was my introduction to ensemble films. I thought it was crazy how the movie had multiple actors from big franchises I was familiar with, and I assumed it must automatically be a great film. Without Now You See Me, I would never be where I am today. Whatever aspect ultimately triggered my love for movies, I am eternally grateful to Now You See Me for inadvertently changing my life. The Now You See Me movies hold a special place in my heart, and it is a wild, full-circle moment to be reviewing the third entry of this franchise. 

That being said, I was immediately in the pocket for a third Now You See Me film. I’ve been craving a new entry for many years. It felt like a shot of adrenaline when the film was announced. As a series that is so precious to me, I was understandably nervous that it wouldn’t be able to hold up to the first two. When it was announced that Rosamund Pike, one of my favorite actors ever, and Dominic Sessa, whose performance in The Holdovers I championed all season, would be joining the cast, it felt like the creative team was making a film with me in mind specifically. Even without my inherent bias, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is an absolute joy. It brings back everything we loved from the first two films and combines it with fresh and fun ideas and actors.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t begins with three young magicians, Bosco (Dominic Sessa), June (Ariana Greenblatt), and Charlie (Justice Smith), putting on a magic show pretending to be the Horsemen by using projectors. They use their magic to take back the welfare and pension fund that was stolen by wealthy crypto-bros and distribute it to the audience through code words on playing cards. All goes perfectly, except they find the actual J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) in their apartment when they return home. He and the Horsemen are no longer together, and he is salty about it. He shows the kids the tarot card he found from the Eye, which indicates they are the new magicians he needs to help him on his next quest. After some discussion, they agree to help him take down Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), a woman who uses her company to launder money for arms dealers and warlords. As they are enacting their plan in Antwerp, Belgium, the other Horsemen reveal themselves one by one as part of the Eye’s plan, each more surprised than the person before. Despite their drama, the Horsemen choose to set it aside so they and the young magicians can finish the job the Eye placed before them.

The most important aspect of an ensemble film is the chemistry between all the actors. From the first two films, we know that the Horsemen fit together well. Each actor was perfectly cast then, and the same is true now. I could listen to only banter and poking fun for 90 minutes and walk out of the theater satisfied. The true test was how these new magicians would fit into the already established flow. Justice Smith, Ariana Greenblatt, and Dominic Sessa join the cast as the young magicians inspired by the Horsemen and their Robin Hood routine. These three have their own excellent chemistry together. No one is a mini-me with the exact personality of the original Horsemen, but there are personality overlaps that bond the two groups together.

Bosco appears to be the leader. He was a Juilliard actor who dropped out and then became a street performer and magician. He’s cocky with a smart mouth, the perfect foil to J. Daniel Atlas, and cool enough to charm Veronika Vanderberg. This is only Dominic Sessa’s third role, yet he hangs with the rest like a veteran. The creators saw him play a teen too smart for his own good in The Holdovers and immediately recaptured that energy here. Bosco is a very demanding role that requires impressions, costumes, and action sequences, but he tackles them all easily. As for Ariana Greenblatt, this is the first time she is playing a relatively adult role, although the film acknowledges her character escaped from boarding school multiple times before joining up with Bosco and Charlie. She may be pint-sized, but she has a big personality that shines through and quick hands that surprise. She has a fight scene almost all to herself, and she eats it up. Finally, Justice Smith as Charlie is the secret MVP. He is the behind-the-scenes man who figures out how to make all their magic tricks happen. He is too nervous to step out from behind the curtain. He was an orphan, and his found family means everything to him. As the film progresses, his confidence skyrockets, and he proves that the man behind the scenes is the smartest one in the room.

The three young magicians work together so well. While the original four Horsemen had to overcome their egos and surrender to the Eye to connect, they are already beyond that. We get to see why they chose to be family and how much they love each other. They support each other without question and immediately jump to save each other when they are in peril.

Rosamund Pike absolutely nailed her role as Veronika Vanderberg. She plays a South African owner of a diamond mine, a true villain role. There is a very particular accent tied to the character. I am in no way familiar with the accent, but it was distinct from any English accent I’ve heard, so I’m assuming she performed it well. An actor of her caliber would likely do it justice. Her naturally posh vibe and intellect make Vanderberg the exact type of villain role for her. She does not care much about human life, and she’s willing to risk it just to make a point. She’s fabulous and commanding, characteristics that a surprise guest noticed repeatedly about her.

One of the best writing choices the film made was to include new, younger magicians. They forced our beloved Horsemen to look inward at themselves and push past their petty, childish behavior. There always comes a point in life where you have to parent adults so they can work out their problems. Oftentimes, it was the youth who kept everyone on track and figured out what to do next. Also, there was the perfect amount of poking fun at the generational divide, which could have easily been low-hanging fruit. Instead, we get funny moments where Daniel is irritated at Bosco for his nonchalant attitude, which is understandably frustrating, and the grown-ups pushing the youngins to prove their magic abilities to them. Adding these new characters was great for the longevity of the franchise (which will hopefully continue forevermore). Smith, Greenblatt, and Sessa were spectacular choices by the director and the casting department.

For any other franchise, the social commentary about the rich hoarding wealth and the Horsemen giving it back to the poor could potentially feel pandering to the time in which we live, but the Horsemen were doing good deeds in 2013, when that could just be the plot, and no one could think otherwise. The previously established morality and the current toxic political environment gave the writers a prime opportunity to make a statement about our world today, and have it actually mean something. Deciding to make Veronika Vanderberg a wealthy South African owner of a gem mine seems purposeful, as well as the anti-cryptocurrency sentiment and the redistribution of wealth to the people. The social commentary never overtakes the fun, but the fun would feel shallow if the Horsemen weren’t using their “magic” for good.

One of the best parts of the Now You See Me franchise is that it requires the production design to be unique and inventive. Although the first two are ultimately better, the magic house in the second act is a major highlight of all three films. I don’t want to spoil every unique room, but the creatives took classic funhouse bits and made a house full of gags and jokes. Also, there are nods to real-life famous magicians, and there’s pretend memorabilia from their tricks that line the walls of the house. There is a “oner” scene in the middle of the film where the magicians are all showing off their tricks, and without the production design giving them a playground to perform, it would all be for naught. Director Ruben Fleischer stated that no AI was used to create the magic. While visual effects are used, everything feels relatively tangible. It’s nice that the movie’s themes are holding the film’s production to a higher standard.

I had the privilege to watch Now You See Me: Now You Don’t twice, once in Dolby and the other in a regular theater. If given the chance, I highly suggest checking it out in the best theater possible. My second showing looked duller, which is to be expected going from Dolby Vision to a regular screen, but it was more noticeable than I expected. There is also the chance the theater I attended failed to project it well, considering the unfortunate state of said theater, but even if so, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is worth watching in the highest quality possible.

One thing is for certain: the people are craving this franchise! In my first showing, there were fellow audience members who clapped mid-film, and everyone stayed engaged throughout. There was even one man who stood up and clapped after the plot twist was revealed. Even though this is the third in a series, this world still feels wholly original. The happiness it has brought to myself and others is hard to match, and the world desperately needs more of it. There should be a new Now You See Me film in theaters every three years with its own November slot. I’ll never get tired of watching the Horsemen fight and overcome their stubbornness, and I’m especially excited to follow what our young magicians do next. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is pure magic and a breath of fresh air for all to enjoy. 

Grade: B+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should Be Considered: None

Where to Watch: In Theaters