Wordiezett So much average

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

hellseher-759-985447 I could have written this review for 'Now You See Me I', as my appreciation for Tyler's work started there, but I thought I'd skip it, as he outdid himself in the second part. Yes, the NYSM films are arguably one of the most plot hole ridden franchises in Hollywood (not speaking about the non-decision if magic now is actually an existing thing or not), but strangely I found that after watching the first one and simply accepting the aforementioned fact I was able to really enjoy the second one. And I will re-view the first one as well with this attitude. Those are simply enjoyable films with good actors, nice scenery and lighthearted stories. But I want to direct your focus on something else I rarely read about here: The music by Brian Tyler. You may say about him what you want, but he really created an exception here. In our times, real pop-rock drums (I am not talking programmed drums and loops) as addition to orchestral music have fallen out of grace - Tyler was one of the first to bring them back. And boy, he knows how. In my world, the NYSM score is one of the most inventive soundtracks of our time. Not only does Tyler create a really powerful combination of orchestral and pop/rock music, he also manages to deliver a theme (or leitmotif) one is able to whistle after leaving the theater - also something that is not standard anymore, as soundtracks have become more like acoustic wallpaper these days. The music is really versatile in the most profound way. Just listen to 'The Setup' as a prime example. He morphs through all kinds of style from pop, rock, soul, swing and jazz in one single piece. And his real drums lend a power to the music that is unprecedented. Others have also started to incorporate this style of drumming in their music, but never as virtuosic as Tyler does here. If you like popcorn flicks, give the NYSMs try, and if you're into movie scores, keep your ears open. An oh, by the way: Listen to 'Can you dig it', his end title version of 'Iron Man 3' - it's right up there on the same level.

magguilmot This time, we know the horsemen are not common thieves. Their new mission goes awry however when it is hijacked by a petulant villain who forcibly uses them to retrieve the very same piece of tech they wanted to expose. How will they be able to achieve their goal and get out of the frying pan without jumping into the fire without their mentor around ? If this does not sound very subtle, it is just because it isn't.We can't really worry about anything or care about the backstory. We can go along with the entertainment despite the feeling that everything will be alright in the end. The good guys will somehow defeat the childish villain and the evil twin (I kid you NOT) and everything will be explained. And that's the problem in a nutshell. No tricks or special effects can change the fact that it is pedestrian.

Majikat Has it's fair share of entertainment, but you can't beat the story of the first. With new characters introduced and a new setting, I actually found myself relaxing instead of guessing, as the plot twists and turns, like any magic trick it becomes less enjoyable the second time around, still worthy of a watch for the follow up, but as a stand alone film it doesn't quite hit the spot

bowmanblue The original 'Now You See Me' film was an incredibly enjoyable affair. It was possibly one of the finest examples of how, if you were willing to suspend your disbelief to epic levels, you really could have a great time watching it. It was Hollywood glitz and popcorn-munching fun all the way through. The - A-list - cast was perfect and played off each other brilliantly, depicting a quartet of modern day Robin Hood-style magicians who stole from the rich and corrupted through the use of their dazzling illusions and, in turn, gave back to the poor. I suppose its success basically guaranteed a sequel would be greenlit. And, where I do give the film credit for doing its best to follow-on closely from the events in the first outing, this time round it's just too unbelievable to be convincing - no matter how hard you try to suspend your disbelief.I really wanted to like this film - and I guess I did. There were plenty of neat moments here and there, it's just I wanted to like it a LOT. And I didn't. The story picks up a little while after the events of the first one and the most noticeable difference for me was the fact that Isla Fisher hasn't returned this time round. She's therefore instantly replaced by another female magician who slots into the team a little too well. Then we get to the meat of the story where the twists and turns start to overtake general common sense and credibility.The rest of the cast return, but the main newcomer is Daniel Radcliffe who entraps the magicians in an attempt to use their collective skills to steal something for him. And, as I mentioned, the 'magic' set-pieces are indeed well-filmed and cool to watch. However, the story just doesn't add up. One of the main complaints from the first one was the 'twist' which left some viewers feeling a little short-changed. Here, the film tries to 'out-twist' the original by taking the story in all sorts of directions which leave you truly confused as to who is on who's side and who is trying to double-cross who.I know that part of the fun with watching magicians perform is trying to guess how the trick is done. With the first film you could just about believe that the feats they carry out could just about be actually real if all the circumstances were just right. In the sequel, everything feels a little cheap as you naturally try to predict how they accomplish these feats, only to find out that the ways they do them are tantamount impossible.Overall, it's an enjoyable enough film, but it does try to be a little too clever for its own good and therefore ends up being too unbelievable to be credible.