Now You See Me is one of the best thrillers of recent years, with this magic-related mystery movie being a lot of fun to watch. While magic is at the heart of everything that happens, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way that require no tricks or skills.
A lot of it is down to the characters' individual personalities, which is what sets them apart from others. It's a very fun and exciting movie though, which is why it ended up becoming a franchise. However, it is the original that still stands out as the strongest, with great characters, an exciting plot, and some huge surprises.
Arthur Tressler
Arthur Tressler is played by Michael Caine in this film, and while at first, it seems like he is on the same side of the Four Horseman group, but in one of the movies big twists, it is revealed that the group is actually using him due to his poor behavior.
He's the owner of an insurance company, but one that doesn't pay out or look after people, which is why he gets targetted. It becomes clear that Arthur is very selfish and is all about himself, being very money-centric in his thoughts, which doesn't make him a likable person.
Thaddeus Bradley
Thaddeus Bradley is the main antagonist throughout Now You See Me, with Morgan Freeman playing the role very well. He's an ex-magician who spends his time now revealing the truth behind other people's secrets, which showcases the type of person he is straight away.
While he initially seems to have quite an eccentric personality and could be playing the F.B.I to help the magicians, it ends up being him who the group is targetting. That's because of what his exposing behavior creates, and while he is very cocky in his own abilities, that ends up being his downfall.
Agent Cowan
Agent Cowan only comes into the film towards the third act, but he instantly stomps his authority onto the F.B.I. side of things. While those in the F.B.I. side of things are technically seen as villains because they're hunting down the magicians that audiences are rooting for, that doesn't make them all bad people.
However, Agent Cowan very much falls into the stereotypical F.B.I. mold where he is desperate to catch them at all costs. He wants to take over and be the man in charge, but that doesn't work out for him because the magicians are always one step ahead of him.
Agent Fuller
Agent Fuller is simply doing his job throughout this movie and he does that to the best of his ability, which does make him quite likable at points. Of course, he is hunting down the magicians who are the real stars of the film though, which does alter things slightly.
But for a supporting character, he is fairly likable. Fuller gives 110% to Dylan Rhodes, trying to help him as much as possible throughout the movie which proves that he is a very loyal person overall.
Dylan Rhodes
Dylan Rhodes really is a tricky one in terms of likability, because at points he's incredibly unlikeable, but then when his big secret is revealed, it makes him instantly likable. His family history is very difficult and that makes him sympathetic, but that only gets revealed at the final stages of the movie.
His F.B.I. persona does make him quite unlikeable at points though, as he spends all of the movie chasing down the group in a bid to hunt them down. He doesn't seem to be willing to accept magic, and while that ends up being a facade, it does make him seem unlikeable at points.
J.Daniel Atlas
J.Daniel Atlas is a classic Jesse Eisenberg character in the sense that he is very confident and someone who crams a lot of words into a very short space of time. He's an excellent magician and is someone that has a lot of skill, but he is also very self-aware of how good he is and therefore has no shortage of confidence because of that.
Atlas can be very arrogant at times, which doesn't always make him the most likable character. At times, his arrogance can be funny, especially during his scene while he's under arrest. The fact he embraces it and knows he is arrogant does make him charming at times though.
Jack Wilder
Jack Wilder doesn't quite have his personality showcased as heavily as the other main magicians, but it is clear he is a young man ready to make a mark in the world of magic. Jack can be a lot of fun and he is full of energy, which makes him infectious throughout the movie.
He is heavily involved in the action elements of this movie as well, which also makes him very likable as Jack has such memorable parts of the film. But overall, he's just a very positive character and the fact he's so happy to just be involved really makes him great.
Merritt McKinney
Merritt McKinney is very funny in Now You See Me, being one of the main magicians throughout the movie, utilizing his incredible ability to work the mind. He brings quite a lot of humor to the film with his over the top comments towards the rest of the group.
He has a lot of fun doing what he does and doesn't take anything overly seriously which is why Merritt is so much fun as a character. He's very easy to like and find fun with, with his personality really shining brightly.
Alma Dray
Alma Dray might be one of the people within the F.B.I, but that doesn't stop her from being one of the most likable characters. Even though she is chasing down the Four Horseman, Alma is a lot of fun, mainly because she is able to see things from the perspective of the other characters.
At times she stops Dylan from overreacting or shooting at the group, which showcases her kind personality. Alma also brings a lot of funny moments to the movie with her comments towards Dylan, not bowing down to his attitude at times, showcasing she is a strong character which makes her likable.
Henley Reeves
When it comes to likability, it is Henley Reeves who really comes out as the nicest character. She obviously a very talented magician, and a fantastic escape artist, which is what she brings to the group. Henley has a big past with Daniel Atlas and that allows for some fun interactions between them.
However, unlike Daniel, Henley isn't arrogant or overconfident in her abilities. She clearly wants to have fun and she ends up having good interactions with the rest of the group. Henley has no problem in firing back comments at others, which creates some funny moments as well.