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'Now You See Me' has a great premise but doesn't follow through

( PG-13 ) ( Monitor Movie Guide )

'Now You See Me' dispenses quickly with its magical premise and turns into a noisy thriller. 'Now You See Me' stars Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Woody Harrelson.

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Barry Wetcher/Summit Entertainment/AP
'Now You See Me' stars (from l. to r.) Dave Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Woody Harrelson.
  • By Peter Rainer Film critic

Four top notch magicians team up to wow audiences in Louis Leterrier’s “Now You See Me,” one of those movies with a terrific premise and a less-than-terrific follow-through. The magicians here, played by Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco, pull off Robin Hood-like extravaganzas, including the fleecing of a corrupt billionaire, played  by Michael Caine.

With the FBI and Interpol on the team's tail, the film dispenses with its magic (and magical) premise and turns into a noisy smash-and-bang action thriller. There is nothing magical about seeing one’s umpteenth car chase. Mark Ruffalo plays the weirdly scruffy FBI agent on the case, while Morgan Freeman, in super-slow mode, plays a famous magic debunker. He’d make the ideal critic for this movie. Grade: C (Rated PG-13 for language, some action and sexual content.)

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