The big reveal at the end of a magic trick is supposed to leave you shaking your head in wonder and asking, “How on earth?” But the big reveal that Morgan Freeman’s skeptical antagonist lays on Mark Ruffalo’s wounded trickster at the end of this sequel to 2013’s surprise hit about magician bank robbers is more likely to have you screwing up your face in puzzlement and asking, “WTF?” That is, if you’re taking any of it seriously by that point. Once more, with feeling: a group of talented individuals must learn to overcome their personal foibles and function as a team — sorry, as a single organism — in order to stop a villain bent on controlling the world’s computers. The early appearance of Lizzy Caplan as a fake-violence specialist who once pulled a hat out of a rabbit is enough to inspire hope, but don’t be fooled. She quickly devolves into a love interest/sad quipstress, leaving the odd spotlight to Woody Harrelson goofing as his own twin. And of course, there’s no danger of mistaking computer-enhanced trickery for actual sleight of hand, so even the modest but honest pleasure provided by quality card work is compromised. Directed by John M. Chu. (2016) — Matthew Lickona
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