Now You See Me 3 Review – Fun Spectacle, Thin Storytelling

Ruben Fleischer becomes the first director in the Now You See Me franchise to return for consecutive installments, having directed the third film and reportedly set to helm the fourth. The fourth installment is in the writing/development phase already!​

Our version of Now You See Me 3 review will explore whether the clever cons and flashy tricks are enough to justify its long-awaited return.

Plot details of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (2025)​

NYSM 3 focuses on four Horsemen returning with a new group of illusionists, and they plot against the heiress’s corrupt money laundering plans.​

The corrupt diamond dealer, Veronika Vanderberg (played by Rosamund Pike), is cocky about her presence in the business world, which leads to a reunion of the original crew (Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco) and Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) recruiting a young group of magicians (Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt).​

With the help of legendary Thaddeus (Morgan Freeman), they all manage to expose Vanderberg’s crimes. Watch the exciting trailer here:​

Actor’s performances in Now You See Me 3

Watching them perform nine years after the second installment, it is definitely their signature charisma that makes their performances more attractive. However, if I am to review them based on their real “performance”, then every character gave their best.

The competent performances that lack emotional depth are due to the story’s inability to give them much room to stretch their range. While the cast embodies their roles well, the narrative does not allow for substantial character growth, undermining the film’s ability to deliver a satisfying return.

However, since the film lacks emotional depth, it ultimately restricts the actors’ ability to showcase their range. The plot rarely demands vulnerability, internal conflict, or meaningful character growth. As a result, the performances appear more functional rather than possessing an emotional charm.​

What do critics add to the Now You See Me 3 review?​

The critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes shares a positive sentiment about the film, as it says,

​“Getting the gang back together, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t repeats a lot of the franchise’s familiar tricks, although there’s still charm in seeing these characters pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat.” [Source]

The critics granted slightly higher ratings for the third installment when compared to its previous two parts. Some of them were still divided, calling it an “absolutely atrocious” film. One of them found the film “colorful and enjoyable,” but the narrative sophistication was missing.​

Though the addition of the younger generation was a great turn for the franchise, the two generations coming together didn’t impress much.

Fans’ reaction

The audience gave the highest Rotten Tomatoes score ever to this third entry of the franchise, calling it an “absolute best in the series.” The majority of them are those who missed these movies and enjoyed them heavily on the basis of nostalgia.​

The others called it “uncompelling” and “cringe,” but the rest were fine with its “memorable experience” that it offered.​

Is it worth watching?

Now You See Me 3 is worth watching, but with middling expectations. If you enjoy fast-paced entertainment, clever visual tricks, and the familiar charm of the franchise, the film delivers enough. The film lacks a narrative-rewarding continuation, though.​

Ruben Fleischer is known for directing popular genre films like the zombie comedy Zombieland (2009), Marvel anti-hero film Venom (2018), crime comedy Gangster Squad (2013), and action-adventure Uncharted (2022).​

His directorial style reveals that he prioritizes energy, accessibility, and entertainment over thematic depth. His work consistently reflects a strong favor of pace and spectacle rather than introspection.

The same stands true for Now You See Me 3 since Fleischer’s experience of blending action with humor complements the franchise’s tone. The film’s strong ensemble cast as he used the returning faces along with new cast, without allowing one performance to dominate the other.

​However, where the film delivered magic, the deep, individualized arcs were missing. The surface-level excitement didn’t reinforce the narrative that should have been there, as the third part was returning after almost a decade.

All the films of the franchise managed to gain the ratings as follows:  

	IMDb	Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score	Rotten Tomatoes audience score
Now You See Me (2013)	7.2	51 percent	70 percent
Now You See Me 2 (2016)	6.4	34 percent	53 percent
Now You See Me 3 (2025)	6	60 percent	80 percent

What we liked

• Entertaining spectacle and pacing
• Nostalgic reunion of the original Horsemen
• Strong ensemble chemistry
• Accessible direction
• Positive audience reception

What could be better

• Lack of emotional depth
• Underdeveloped character arcs
• Overreliance on nostalgia
• Thin narrative sophistication
• Generational crossover underused

Here’s a detailed breakdown of our rating for Now You See Me 3 (2025):

Story/plot	6/10
Characters and acting	6/10
Direction and pacing	6/10
Visuals and cinematography	6/10
Soundtrack/score	6/10
Themes and message	4/10
Emotional impact	4/10
Creativity/originality	6/10
Rewatchability	2/10

Our rating: 5.5

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Is Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (2025) available for online streaming?

Lionsgate distributed Now You See Me 3 (2025) (PG-13) theatrically on November 14, 2025, but now it is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. 

Genre: Crime, thriller, adventure, mystery, comedy 

IMDb rating: 6

Rotten Tomatoes:  60 percent on Tomatometer (critics’ score) and 80 percent on Popcornmeter 

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Ariana Greenblatt, Dominic Sessa, Justice Smith, & Rosamund Pike

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writers: Rhett Reese, Seth Grahame-Smith, Michael Lesslie

Producers: Bobby Cohen, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci

Release date: November 14, 2025

Movie runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes

Would you recommend Now You See Me 3 to friends, or was it just a fun watch? Chime in with your thoughts below.