Despite mixed reviews from critics, the Now You See Me franchise has continued to release new installments, recently becoming a longer-running franchise than series like the DCEU. Blending magic with the crime genre seems to work on audiences, as the first two Now You See Me films earned over $300 million at the box office. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t aims to bring the magic back to the franchise after a 9-year hiatus, introducing a younger cast to boost viewership.

The film sees the return of the Four Horsemen from the original film(Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco) as they plan to steal a diamond from a wealthy crime syndicate. Helping them are three up-and-coming magicians, played by Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Justice Smith, who hope to be just as big as the Four Horsemen someday. Centering more on crime than the slew of magic shows in the first film, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t still delivers on everything this franchise excels at.

What makes the Now You See Me franchise work so well is how ridiculous the magic is utilized, and that carries over in the series’ newest entry. From people appearing out of thin air to hypnotizing someone into playing an instrument, the magic creations are so absurd that it is impossible to look away. Although the film repeats some of the tricks from previous films, it uses competition in a way that makes the magic feel fun and refreshing. A one-take of each magician showing off their skills easily stands as one of the best scenes in the whole franchise, using comedy and out-of-this-world magic to one-up each other in an extremely hilarious fashion.

The cast has always been great in the Now You See Me films, but the work in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is easily the best in the franchise. The Four Horsemen deliver effortless performances, returning to their roles as if they never left. The film is far less dramatic than the other films in the series, allowing the actors to deliver more relaxed, entertaining performances with plenty of improvisational lines. The new magicians blend seamlessly with the old, maintaining a signature sense of humor while clearly drawing inspiration from their older counterparts. Dominic Sessa delivers the standout newcomer performance, with his jokes about Eisenberg’s name among the best one-liners of 2025. Justice Smith plays the stereotypical smart guy to a satisfying degree, but the film’s latter half sees his performance fully come alive. Ariana Greenblatt is a fun addition to the cast, but her character is given way less to do compared to Smith and Sessa.

Rosemund Pike has years of experience playing villainous roles, and that is extremely apparent in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. She perfectly portrays the rich, smug persona with a tortured past, while still grounding the character in reality. While her character isn’t as fleshed out as it could’ve been, lacking a fulfilling arc and journey, Pike’s work made all of her scenes watchable. Morgan Freeman’s return at the ripe age of 88 was a delight to see, but his character is far less integral than in his previous appearances in the series.

While the film has plenty of entertaining magic sequences and witty back-and-forth between the characters, the structure began to feel stale at times. The third act, in particular, plays out just like the previous films in the franchise, leaving much to be desired. While there is a major character reveal that will likely shock audiences, the ending lacks the shock value of even the simplest magic trick. The film also has a meandering quality, especially in the second act, where it feels like it’s writing itself as it goes along, but the final reveal improves these aspects in hindsight.

There’s nothing about Now You See Me: Now You Don’t that will convince naysayers of the franchise, but those who find these movies entertaining will likely find a lot of love in the third film in the series. With an excellent ensemble cast and illogical, yet incredibly entertaining magic set pieces, this film pulls a rabbit out of a hat once again.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t will release nationwide on November 14.

Rating: 7/10

Oscar Prospects:

None