On Twists and Now You See Me

The greatest trick Now You See Me, which follows a group of arrogant but morally conscious magicians, performs is in assembling a diverse and talented cast. For all its CGI and hubris, this is only mildly entertaining (a five minute illusion from Arrested Development’s Gob Bluth is far more fun). Like many films it relies on a final third twist, but unlike many films its twist is simply a way of proving how much ‘smarter’ it is than its audience. It isn’t. Now You See me uses the kind of twist that the CSI series’ use; you can’t guess it because it has no real connection to the rest of the film. Unlike films such as The Usual Suspects (1995) and Shutter Island (2010) whose twists are present throughout, with clues scattered within the narrative that enhance the experience, Now You See Me culminates in a clumsy ending that renders much of what came before annoying and implausible.