Cardio is a Liam Montier and Big Blind Production project in which Montier performs and explains tricks he previously released in the “Cardio” pdf. The tricks, which require a small amount of card handling skills, are fantastic and very fooling. Cardio sells for $22, which is an excellent price for this great project.
On this DVD, you get 7 tricks that can be performed with a regular deck of cards, so you can impress anywhere and anytime. I will not delve into the description of each routine since they are adequately described in the ad-copy. Some will require some on the spot set-up, which Montier teaches extremely well.
This format is a bit different from many of Montier’s prior projects with BBM. In Cardio, Montier is standing behind a waist-high table and performs the routines without a spectator. Sometimes his camera man, Owen Packard, speaks from behind the camera, using a falsetto, pretending he is a woman spectator. Yes, that is a bit weird and in my opinion, not necessary. The ad-copy says that format is a one-on-one teaching lesson by Montier, but I feel that the presentation and the overall project suffers without real spectators. And, because Montier is not performing to an audience, the presentations feel a bit rushed. Usually BBM project have performances with spectators and that adds a substantial amount for the viewer of the DVD or download.
The instructional portion of the project is taught by Montier, standing behind the same table in a magic library that we have seen many times in the prior BBM releases. The teaching is very clear and easy to follow, but again it is taught without a sidekick magician so the chemistry and interplay between him and another is noticeably absent. Many of these tricks require some basic card handling skills such as various counts, lifts, culls, and other moves, which Montier demonstrates, but quickly. This is not a DVD for a novice.
The production of this DVD is not as good as prior BBM projects. Montier is standing in the library and although he is well lit, the rest of the room seems dim and there are annoying shadows in all the shots and various angles. To me, it seems that this project was rushed in filming for the reasons that I described above.
With regards to the tricks, they are all solid foolers and will amaze your audience. None of the tricks are too hard to learn, there are no knuckle busting moves, but they will require some basic confidence with a deck of cards.
I think that this DVD could have been a 10, but because of the lack of spectators and sidekick magician for the explanatory segments, I deducted a few points from the rating.
I like this DVD and can recommend it with the foregoing reservations.
This Liam Montier and Big Blind Media Project can be purchased from any Murphy’s Magic dealer.