Now You See Me 2

 

NOW YOU SEE ME 2

Director : Jon M. Chu

Year : 2016

Genre : Mystery 

Rating : ***1/2

 

While it may be as ludicrous, as silly and as wildly overblown as it's critically dividing 2013 original, 'Now You See Me 2' is as thoroughly entertaining and deliriously dumb as Louis Leterrier's magical mystery predecessor. Directed this time by Jon M. Chu (Leterrier now takes an executive producer credit), the movie continues to follow the elusive illusionist group The Horsemen once again played by Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson and series newcomer Lizzy Caplan - proving to be a wonderfully sassy replacement for previous star Isla Fisher - who after being exposed at a  snazzy technological unveiling find themselves at the beck and call of Daniel Radcliffe's creepy tech-wizard billionaire. 

As was the case with the first film, 'Now You See Me 2' is jam-packed with visually impressive CGI trickery and while it is blatantly obvious that none of the cast, which also includes returning support from Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, can actually perform the extraordinary feats of slight of hand that their characters are so adept at,  it is nonetheless satisfying to watch the mechanics and intricacies of the plot come together in a wholly unbelievable yet undeniably enjoyable way - an elongated set piece involving the concealment of a playing card-shaped computer chip proving to be a particularly memorable example of ridiculous yet riveting good fun.