Slightly better than Ocean's Twelve but still not close to Ocean's Eleven, the third & final entry in The Ocean's Trilogy finds the original gang returning to Las Vegas for one last heist as things get a bit personal in this concluding chapter. Retaining the cool style & lighthearted vibe of its predecessors, the film does many things right but is still forgettable in the end.
The story of Ocean's Thirteen is set in motion when one of the original eleven is double crossed by his former business partner who now owns his new hotel-casino. When the gang finds out about it, they decide to avenge him by concocting a plan to spoil the new hotel's opening night but to pull it off, they turn to a foe who shares their contempt for the common enemy and offers his assistance.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Ocean's Thirteen marks a little improvement over its predecessor and, by taking a persona route, brings something new to the table. The light, playful tone remains in tact but the premise is more involving than it was the last time. Also, unlike the previous entry, the new addition to the ensemble plays a key role in the plot and has an interesting arc of his own.
While the story has an interesting outline, the writers still end up making the plot complex and not easy to follow. Not every twist n turn makes sense, some moments are as ludicrous as the second film's museum robbing sequence, and it expects the viewer to just go along with everything that's unfolding without questioning the logic of it all. Sometimes, it does work. Other times, it doesn't.
Coming to the performances, the original eleven return to reprise their respective roles once again. Vincent Cassel also makes an appearance while the most notable amongst the new additions is Al Pacino who plays the antagonist and utilises his infectious persona to great effect. Clooney & Pitt once again lead from the front but Damon gets a promotion as well while the rest play their part as expected.
On an overall scale, Ocean's Thirteen is a satisfactory conclusion to the saga of Danny Ocean & his associates, if not a memorable one, and offers a good, lighthearted dose of fun & amusement just like its predecessors. It corrects a few mistakes that were made in the second instalment but also ends up creating some new ones which stop it from reaching the heights & delights of the original. Nevertheless, it's worth a shot.
