Remember this? Course you don’t! Who would? Well, I did, actually. So I feel completely comfortable looking down on those who don’t remember this film, or those who didn’t care in the first place, with a creditable amount of smugness and punchability.
However, let’s stop being silly billys. You probably do you remember this film, though faintly. Yet, for some reason, it sort of flew under the radar. It couldn’t have been the cast, Jessica Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Sommutorother Franco among many others, so it must have been the plot because, in all seriousness, who, in their perfect sound body and mind, could get excited about film about magicians. But that isn’t it either, as it made $117,723,989 in domestic total gross alone. Woah! I just got a little bit too technical for an amateur review blog helmed by two teenage boys didn’t I? Yes, let’s just say it made a lot. So it wasn’t that. Oh well. I guess it’ll remain one of life’s greatest mysteries.
I guess you want to hear my opinion now, seeing that this a review in my opinion. It was alright. It was pretty good, actually. Entertaining is how I’d put it. Yeah.
I’ll start writing about the performances in a mo, but first, scheduled picture and witty tagline:
Sorry Jessica, I can still see you.
Oh, how funny and original! In the picture above is one Jessica Eisenberg who, in all aspects of the film, is rather insufferable. However, at the same time, is oddly charming. He always has an answer and is always the last person to talk, reminding me of my most ashamed attributes, who am I kidding? My most proud attributes. Joining him is Isla Fisher, who is just really there. She has a few bits. Not really that notable, come to think of it. Hm. Moreover, for the second time in a week, Woody Harrelson has poked his little hatted head in and, in some way, stole the show just by being Woody Harrelson and being entertaining all on his own. Two actors I have not mentioned yet, and two I really should have mentioned by now, are Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine who, fresh from returning from Gotham City or, in Caine’s case, Florence?, turn in some surprisingly good paycheck performances, especially so in Freeman’s case. Standing in the way of our lovable ne’er-do-wells is Mark Ruffalo, yes Dr. Banner himself, and a french lady who just luuuuuuuuuuuuuves to be sentimental, as she spews out a “useless” bundle of magical crap every scene she’s in. Oh, and Dave Franco is also there.
There two specific things that make this film for me; the visual style and the score. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about the visuals that just gives me the impression of an underground comic book. Perhaps it’s the choice of setting, maybe it’s the particular lighting. I have no idea what effect that could have but that is what seems to be important to other, more distinguished writers (Hey Roger! Give us a call!). What I liked, however, is how some of the tricks looked, particularly near the end.
The score is probably my favourite thing about the film, which is strange for me because I usually give the minimally sized vermin’s ass about the score. I say this, yet I was enticed whenever some sort of big reveal occured and I had the pleasure of hearing a suspensful orchestral score accompanied by, what some would say, an overuse of symbals.
The writing, for me, is a double-edged sword. I don’t really know what that expression means, but I’ll try to explain what I mean by it. I get that a double-edged sword, in a literal sense, does damage to both you and your foe. The damaged to my foe, persay, is some of the lines Ms Eisenberg has the privilige in saying, like his little “speech” in the CIA interrogation room. The damage to myself, again, in a literal sense, is some of the aforementioned “witches & wizards ancient egyptian order” crap that little Miss Not-Marion-Cotilliard ejects from her ever-spewing face hole. Get my drift?
In a nice bow-tied conclusion, Now You See Me is definitely a perfectly watchable film. In fact, it’s more than that. I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s perfect in every way, shape, form or realm, but it’s definitely worth a watch if it’s on your subscription based service.
75/100
Lots of hugs, kisses and lacerations
Milo.
Stuff and That. 
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