The long-awaited threequel Now You See Me: Now You Don't is finally only a few days away from hitting theaters, but despite my excitement, I can't help but be a little skeptical of the film. Now You See Me 2's ending is symptomatic of a problem with the entire franchise, and I'm afraid the new film will continue the trend.
Now You See Me: Now You Don't comes nearly a decade after the previous film, and this, however, gives me hope that a much-needed change has been made to the franchise's approach to storytelling. The crew spent time on the story, and they are all excited for the world to see it, so I hope it proves my skepticism wrong.
Jesse Eisenberg has teased a twist and some cameos in the new Now You See Me movie, which makes me wonder if the film will prioritize style over substance like always. Even if it is a flashy affair, I hope it does justice to the many characters in the film, half of whom will be newly introduced in the threequel.
The Now You See Me Franchise's Magic Setpieces Go Overboard
Jack Wilder doing a card trick in Now You See Me 2
Cinema is an art form where the impossible becomes possible on a movie screen, but without defying logic as we know it when watching movies. Magic as an art form functions with almost the exact opposite kind of engagement from viewers. Experiencing disbelief is part of the joy of watching magic tricks, so elaborate magic often loses its charm when captured on the screen.
So, apart from the few instances of close-up sleight-of-hand magic, the Now You See Me franchise struggles to capture the essence of magic. Even the incredible card-throwing sequence used in the nail-biting heist in Now You See Me 2 doesn't look like a genuine magic trick because of the way it tests the laws of nature as we perceive them.
On the other hand, the card trick on the plane in Now You See Me, which one later realizes must have been performed by Mark Ruffalo's Dylan, is an impressive move, even if the trick practically occurs off-screen. Misdirection as part of a magic trick is most effective in a movie scene that doesn't include heavy editing and quick cuts.
The most egregious examples of the Now You See Me franchise struggling to hold viewers' attention through magic tricks are the set pieces, most of which are elaborate, over-the-top, and appropriately flashy, but too complicated to work without detailed explanations. The explanations, however, involve details we'd never have been able to catch, and that ruins their appeal as magic tricks.
Making you believe that, despite it being purely a guessing game, you can catch how a magic trick works if you pay enough attention, is what makes a magician great. However, the Now You See Me setpieces add so many details that you feel cheated, because you'd never have guessed it, and could have just enjoyed the explanation montage instead.
Now You See Me: Now You Don't Has To Be More Character-Driven
Dylan pointing a gun from Now You See Me
But the Now You See Me movies are supposed to be showcases of elaborate magic tricks. So, how does one circumvent the typical problems created by trying to capture something of that sort in a medium that directly contradicts how it works? The answer lies in performing the real trick elsewhere, so viewers don't realize the magic itself isn't working.
Suppose the threequel manages to focus more on the characters and their personal motivations. In that case, you'll be tricked into caring about them enough for the inherent fallacy of trying to capture magic on screen to not affect your viewing experience. The climactic revelation that explains the elaborate setpieces needs more compelling, emotionally meaningful details linked to every choice.
Now You See Me 3's story, as made obvious in the trailer, will involve major ego clashes between the new characters and the old members of the Four Horsemen. The glimpses at the major setpieces make it obvious that they eventually work well together, but if the film spends time on the interpersonal differences, it will automatically be more compelling.
It's obvious that the seven magicians will join hands to bring down the uber-wealthy villain and her exploitative empire, but there's still space to create a character-driven drama within that story. Dylan Shrike's story of wanting to avenge his father's death, for instance, is perhaps the only time I've really cared about one of the characters on a personal level.
The Threequel's Stellar Cast Supports This Change
With cameos set up for Now You See Me 3, the film clearly is stacked with acting talent that can handle the responsibilities that a character-driven storyline would bring with it. Each of the actors in the movie has proven to be dependable with heavy and emotional narratives, and the proposed shift towards character-driven storytelling would work with this cast.
