Penn & Teller: Off the Deep End

For a quarter-century now, playful prestidigitators Penn and Teller have been entertaining audiences around the world with their unique brand of magic—which sometimes incorporates elements of Grand Guignol and black comedy, along with a refreshing lack of reverence for the sanctity of the so-called “mystic arts.” This well-suited team—Teller never talks, Penn never shuts up—delights in toying with their audience's preconceived notions, embracing iconoclasm as they craft illusions that not only dazzle but often poke fun at sacred cows. This two-hour, primetime special—their first in eight years—features an eye-popping array of tricks set and filmed in the Caribbean as Penn and Teller interact with “psychic dolphins,” escape from straitjackets in shark-infested waters, and even make a submarine disappear. In typically outrageous fashion, they proceed to explain how some of the tricks work and offer plenty of humor along with their feats of derring-do. Featuring all-new tricks guaranteed to astonish skeptics as well as die-hard fans of the duo, Penn & Teller: Off the Deep End also includes a handful of DVD extras, such as an expanded scene, a pair of magic tricks that didn't make it into the final cut, and a text biography of the magicians. Recommended. Aud: P. (E. Hulse)