Official Reviewer
Jun 14, 2024
Overview
Well: hmmmmm... This is a fairly OK trick. The cards are fine, no printing errors or anything. I am actually going pretty soft on the bad explanation video -- I am only docking this 1-star because of that. From a performance 'impact' standpoint, this will land in the 'barely better than OK'-category. I will probably perform it 3 or 4 times, but that will be about it. It isn't terribly expensive (which always helps in my book). But, once again: the explanation video is odd and a bit tiring to get through. Taking notes helped me, by the way!Effect
So, there is a video (in English and French) simply showing the trick (in a group setting). It is a relatively standard, 'Choose a symbol'-type effect with a barely clever reveal on the part of the performer. At least THAT video was not confusing to watch.Method
Well, how the cards are printed (stating it clumsily) is a part of how the reveal is made AND how the performance is carried out. Think 'multiple out' (I suppose). There is no sleight of hand, or ditching cards/palming cards or anything like that. Frankly, I really only understood the method about 90%, at most (due largely to the awkward and difficult explanation video). To his credit, the creator does give a few different 'reveal' techniques in the video.Product Quality
Loads of people around the world speak English now (remember that). The instruction video (completely different from the performance video) involves the trick's creator, Damien Vappereau, and another gentleman discussing the how-to. The problem is: (and 98% of the problem is NOT that these gentlemen are French) Damien is not very polished in how he explains the workings of the trick. I am betting (before this video was shot), he had NEVER explained how the trick works to ANY OTHER HUMAN IN THE WORLD. He is halting, awkward and peculiar in how he comes across. The packaging, the videos production quality and the cards are not at all bad, per se -- but trying to learn the darn trick made my super tired. Ad Copy Integrity
Not especially horrible, I suppose -- it gets the basic premise across.Suggestions
If you are patient, and want a good quick 'show us a trick' effect that you can carry in your wallet -- sure! This isn't horrible. But: you can do more (or should be able to do more) using 3 quarters a pencil.
