Movie Review: Now You See Me

Pay close attention to one crucial line early on in Now You See Me, writes Leigh Paatsch.

Cast conjures winning illusion

FILM OF THE WEEK: Pay close attention to one crucial line early on in Now You See Me.

Then feel free to direct your attention elsewhere for the duration.

"The closer you look, the less you see," reveals Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), a professional illusionist who specialises in the fine art of mass misdirection.

There. You can't say you haven't been warned about this slick'n'slippery heist movie.

Sure, it might get more ridiculously illogical with each passing minute. Nevertheless, there can be no denying Now You See Me is tremendous escapist fun throughout.

A mysterious hoodie-wearing figure has assembled an A-team of maverick magicians for a stage show that swiftly takes Las Vegas by storm.

Billed as The Four Horsemen, the quartet are at their best when messing with the minds of audiences nightly. Of a daytime, they're at each other's throats.

Atlas is all ego, all the time. He's an annoying guy who is also easily annoyed, a trait his fellow Horseman exploit at every opportunity.

His former assistant Henley (Isla Fisher) is now an accomplished escape artist, a hubba-hubba Houdini that brings the guys in.

Merritt (Woody Harrelson) is an elite mentalist, not so much a mind-reader as a brain-drainer. In the space of a conversation, he can get inside your head and make himself real cosy.

Jack (Dave Franco) used to hustle a living as a pro pickpocket. He's now the fastest sleight-of-hand man in the business.

The permanent status of The Four Horsemen? Mischievous and mysterious, 24/7.

The signature trick of The Four Horsemen? Robbing a bank live on stage. In full view of their audience.

Huh? You have to see it to believe it. But remember, don't look too closely.

Both the FBI and Interpol make that very mistake when The Four Horsemen are held responsible for millions of Euros swiped from a Paris bank vault.

The troupe did not set foot in France to commit the crime. They were doing a show at the exact same time. But they are not ruling out their own possible involvement.

Intrigued as yet? You should be. Better still, Now You See Me is only getting started with the head-scratching, high-stakes crime stuff.

Quite rightly, The Four Horsemen stick to the magicians' code of practice, and refuse to reveal a single trade secret.

Though continually in the spotlight and under the microscope, their stunts become all the more audacious and inexplicable.

As directed by Louis Leterrier, Now You See Me is a cinematic confidence trick executed with much razzle dazzle, and little regard for reality.

That the movie gets away with it at all is largely due to a well-cast ensemble (Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo are also part of a very busy mix) who are clearly having a grand time having a lend of us all.

Allow yourself to be completely duped, and you are certain to be highly entertained.

> NOW YOU SEE ME [M]

Rating: 3.5/5

Director: Louis Leterrier (The Transporter)

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Caine.

"Taking the money, no need to run"