"deeply entertaining, funny and well made addition to the magical franchise that doesn't disappoint the fans of the first movie"

With umpteenth sequels produced by Hollywood this year, Now You See Me 2 is a deeply entertaining, funny and well made addition to the magical franchise that doesn't disappoint the fans of the first movie, even with the loss of Isla Fisher's character.

Set a year after the events of the first movie, Now You See Me 2, we find the Four Horsemen, and their leader Dylan, hiding from the spotlight after exposing Arthur Tressler's fraud and becoming a part of the EYE Magic Society. While Dylan is trying to keep the group together, after Henley’s departure from the crew and the EYE Magic Society, the Horsemen are trying to live their lives in the shadows, remembering how good it felt to be on stage.

However, evil is always waiting to strike and once again the Horsemen, adding a new member to the crew; Lula (Lizzy Caplan), will have to plot the perfect heist to expose the plan to control and hack all the devices in the world with a single chip set in motion by the vindictive Walter Merby (Daniel Radcliffe), a young tech genius. Guided by the omnipresent EYE, Dylan, Atlas, Merritt, Jack and the talented and quirky new entry Lula, have to work together and use every trick up their sleeves to succeed with this new challenge.

Nowadays, it is really difficult to find an original concept being produced by Hollywood. It seems almost as if the Industry is going through a drought that, as a result, is bringing to the screens endless remakes, reboot and sequels. Some of them are bad, but some of them still live up to the expectations built by the first movie. Fortunately, this is the case for Now You See Me 2.

Plot wise the story retraces the one from the first movie, however, it adds more aspects and details from two of the main character’s past, making them even more well-rounded and pushing the audience to connect and get invested in their stories. Dylan's past and the shadow of his father is once again part of the plot and, in a way, in this film Mark Ruffalo's character has the chance to finally get better closure with his past and the loss of his dad.

Once again, the cast ensemble works together like a well oiled machine; their chemistry is palpable and Lizzy Caplan's addition doesn't alter the relationship within the group, it adds even more comic relief. Along with her new character, even the bad guy, portrayed by a committed and weirdly comical Daniel Radcliffe, allows the story to be structured in a different way, making the villain more psychological and manipulative.

The brilliant performances of all the actors involved are also highlighted by the cinematography and direction of Jon M. Chu. The fluidity with which the camera follows the action hypnotises the audience into focusing on the bigger picture and enjoy the magical illusions. In doing so, it also helps in keeping the mystery and cover the Horsemen's plan.

On the other hand, his use of slow-motion is likewise essential to highlight all the moments in which the audience needs to pay attention to the details in order to discover the many tricks pulled by the Horsemen. The magic and illusions, as usual, are a huge part of the movie and the special effects, along with the many different tricks, are even better than the ones showcased in the first movie.

All the actors dressed the part of magicians effortlessly, their commitment to each character is spectacular and the even stronger comic aspect in the movie makes their interactions more hilarious and almost spontaneous.

All in all, with a great collaboration between Comedy, Special Effects and a good story, Now You See Me 2 is a successful and entertaining film that gifts the audience with genuine laughters and wonder.