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Now You See Me good box office value
Movie Reviews
By Lynne Martin
Fans of Vegas style magic acts will rejoice at the mere mention of NOW YOU SEE ME (2013) starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, and Woody Harrelson. A spectacle based movie that takes great pains to make sure that we enjoy the ‘now you see it—now you don’t’ school of illusions.
When an Interpol Agent and an elite FBI Investigator join forces to track down the professional illusionists appearing on stage as the ‘The Four Horsemen’, the lawmen quickly realize that pinning unsolved bank heists on experienced magicians is going to take more than a little slight-of-hand. Especially when the proceeds from the suspected heists are then distributed to well-deserving audience members.
The original Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who were historically known as famine, pestilence, war, and death in the last book of the New Testament might be a fitting description for these modern day illusionists. They too appear possessed with the concept of passing judgement and will stop at nothing to deliver their personal brand of payback for past wrongs.
Whether you view these performers as professional thieves evading the law, or a band of modern day Robin Hoods, the best value for your entertainment dollar comes from just sitting back and enjoying the show. One of my all time favourite actors, Morgan Freeman, once again plays the all-knowing voice of experience in NOW YOU SEE ME. A tailor made part that always seems to fit him like a glove.
Directed by Louis Leterrier, this heist movie is good entertainment for your box office dollar and a safe choice for a Friday night date, even if the concluding act of the movie tends to drag a little longer than necessary. Rated PG-13, 115 mins, Crime, Thriller. *** 3 stars out of 5.
After Earth heading for dusty archives
AFTER EARTH (2013) starring Jaden Smith, Will Smith, and Sophie Okenedo is proof in point that nepotism is still alive and well in Hollywood. Apparently evident as 15-year-old son of power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith is handed the ultimate role—a coveted lead in Will’s latest sci-fi adventure. Unfortunately, Jaden has been thrown in the deep end without the necessary experience to carry on in his father’s extraordinary footsteps.
A thousand years after the inhabitants of Earth were forced to flee in an attempt to secure better living conditions on another planet, an unseen crash landing strands a decorated Ranger and his teenage son Kitai back on the inhospitable planet Earth. Desperate to summon medical help for his injured father, young Katai sets out on a perilous trek to locate a missing beacon. Unprepared to fight the indigenous species now inhabiting earth, or even breath the contaminated atmosphere, Katai quickly realizes that every hour is going to be a life and death struggle just to survive.
Peppered with flashbacks, AFTER EARTH periodically attempts to explain the palpable tension between father and son with calculated glimpses into their troubled past. Unfortunately, by the time these revelations are presented, we no longer care. We’ve long become disenchanted with the chase and the simplistic plot. Not to mention our rising level of frustration with Will Smith’s one-dimensional character and limited involvement in any action sequences.
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, AFTER EARTH will not be remembered as one of his successes. Soon to become a dust collector in the archives of teenage sci-fi fans, Will Smith will just have to find another showcase for his prodigy. Rated PG-13, 100 mins, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy. ** 2 stars out of 5.
– Lynne Martin is an avid movie collector and a staunch supporter of sexual education. She currently resides in Alberta, Canada with her husband and their large extended family. For a complete list of her reviews and other works, or to leave a comment, please go to: www.lynnemartinbooks.com.
