Now You See Me 2 4K (2016) Ultra HD 2160p REMUX

The Four Horsemen return for a second mind-bending adventure, elevating the limits of stage illusion to new heights in hopes of clearing their names and exposing the ruthlessness of a dangerous tech magnate.

Now You See Me 2 4K (2016) Ultra HD 2160p REMUX Review
Now You See Me 2 is presented on 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.40:1. This release provides a kind of interesting comparison opportunity with regard to the "standard" 1080p presentation, for while there's not that much of an overall uptick in detail and especially color nuance in the 4K UHD version, when there is a difference, it can be quite noticeable. This release suffers from some of the same anemic contrast I mentioned in our review of the 1080p Blu-ray, and in fact the kind of glowing purplish tint to some of the Macau scenes is even more pronounced here. The drab flesh tones I mentioned in the 1080p review are perhaps even slightly more prevalent here— look, for example, at the faces of the Horsemen as they prepare to "transport" down the tunnel which will eventually lead them to Macau and the almost blanched quality of the flesh tones is noticeable, and not necessarily in a good way. There is persistent judder, albeit rather minor at times, in lateral pans, as I've experienced in several 4K UHD presentations, and there's one near flirtation with aliasing during a crane shot where a fence outside of the Federal penitentiary where Bradley is housed is seen on the right side of the frame. Shadow definition is perhaps incrementally better in this version, with some of the Macau magic shop scenes offering a bit more detail, though elements like Bradley's black trench coat still tend to blend into the shadowy background. Some more mundane items like facial pores are dramatically improved in this presentation, especially in extreme close-ups. All told, this is a generally competent presentation that may fail to knock videophiles' socks off due at least in part to an inherent lack of really "wow" visual content. My score is 3.75.

Magic movies are fun. They are responsible for some of my favourite movies of all time. 'The Prestige', 'The Illusionist' and the original 'Now You See Me' all come instantly to mind, and now I can add 'Now You See Me 2' to that list, because it is a very impressive sequel. The series has a very similar feel to the 'Ocean's Eleven' trilogy, and we all know how the second installment of that series turned - not well. They made the mistake of making things too complicated for the average movie-goer to understand and just sit back and enjoy. 'Now You See Me 2' does a great job of keeping things intricate and twisted, while always keeping the audience in on the joke (and trick).

There's the return of all the main stars (minus Isla Fisher who couldn't return due to her pregnancy) and the inclusion of some new ones who fit in seamlessly. In fact, I thought Lizzy Caplan was even more suited to the role of a magician than Fisher was, she did an excellent job as the newest Horseman. Daniel Radcliffe (yes the same one who found fame in another certain magic themed series) also joins the cast. His acting always comes across quite clunky to me, and I felt his performance worked more due to his star-power than actual acting chops.

All the fun from the original is there. Everything you think you know, you should reconsider. There are twists and turns around every corner and the 129 minute run time flies by. Is there enough here for a third installment? I see no reason why not. The world of magic leads to infinite possibilities, and this cast is strong enough to carry a story and keep things fresh and fun. Personally I hope they do return again based on this fine effort.