Ocean's Thirteen

Normally the sequel to a movie is a let down. Especially if the first part was really good. I think that's what's happened with Ocean's 12 for many but l hope this doesn't mean that they won't be watching '13'.

I was happy to see all of the same characters and actors together again because that is one big cool cast. Not to mention Al Pacino...icing on the cake.Who could resist?

For those who are in doubt about Ocean's 13, i hope you're not affected by some bad reviews because history doesn't repeat itself with this one. It's got an interesting story and some fabulous actors and acting. Don't miss out.

"The robb'd that smiles, steals something from the thief." Shakespeare's Othello

Andy Garcia's wealthy Terry Benedict is financing Danny Ocean's Vegas heist from casino owner Willie Bank (Al Pacino) in order to get the last smile of vengeance, thief to thief, while Danny and Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) exact their own revenge. No honor among these slick reprobates, and good time is had by all the men and, this time, not Julia Roberts, but Clooney's real-life squeeze, Ellen Barkin, as Abigail Sponder, tough right hand to Bank.

I go to most movies as a film critic with my sensibility well-guarded against the fluffy confection of just another heist. But the Ocean's franchise, like the Bond's, has a cachet all its own with eye-pleasing duds, high-tech high jinx, and self-referential dialogue. Thus I am free to enjoy without feeling as if I'd sold out to crass commercialism—I have, but willfully and pleasurably.

I guess I'm sucked in like everyone else at the movies, even with as many as I've seen and written about, because I want to go where the director, in this case the estimable Steven Soderbergh, wants to take me. In Ocean's 12, it was all over Europe; in Thirteen it's the entertainment Mecca of the Western world.

No deep thoughts come to mind, just summer mindlessness dressed up for partying (Pitt and Clooney very nicely decked out, understatedly). Clooney's musings about the changes in Vegas since guys like him had shaken Sinatra's hand serves as "change" leitmotif lighter than air. Twenty years from now we'll be talking about the iconic Pitt and Clooney in the same nostalgic way. Ocean's Thirteen reinforces its place in popular culture as a repository for our transitory adulation of movie stars and the escapes they gave us long ago.

At the end, Matt Damon exits with "See you when I see you," a fitting piece of noncommittal that may promise another Ocean's installment or just more star sightings. Clooney says goodbye to Pitt with an in-joke the world is in on: "Hey! Next time! Keep the weight off. Pitt retorts, "Have a couple of kids." This is typical of the low-key, sweetly narcissistic third installment.

Ocean's hits a lucky thirteen this time around without a big jackpot but a great deal of good will.

I went to see this movie with only one expectation, surely it cant be as bad as the second film. On this front i was greatly pleased as the sense of smugness surrounding twelve has been completely lost. The only real problem i had was that after the film finished i really struggled to remember anything particularly about it.

The performances were all OK but no one really stood out, whereas Matt Damon was the only person i didn't want to slap in twelve, he never gets the chance to shine. Al Pacino has no chance to make a memorable villain out of the limited screen time leaving you not really caring if they can pull off the job or not. Clooney and Pitt also do an OK job of an average script, but it never rises above OK.

The area i think this film falls down is with a cast that is too big, while inventive and different in the first film, just hinders this one. There are too many people trying to get their five minutes on screen to really give a damn. Maybe this is the directors feels we already care about them as we know the characters, when in reality the damage caused by twelve was enough to need character building again. Arguably a plot on a smaller scale would have been better with a sharp focus on one or two characters as in the first film.

While flashy this film is all about style over substance and if you are looking for a shallow but entertaining summer movie this may just be it.

This movie is at the level of the first.

With an exciting story that captivates the viewer, the film manages to give us a good robbery story, with well-executed plot twists, good story development, good production design and funny moments. There are a few holes in the script that don't explain what happened to characters that came out in previous movies, as well as some conveniences for the story to follow.

But the movie is entertaining and is a good closing for this trilogy.

'Ocean's Thirteen' marks the end of the Ocean's trilogy in a good way.

It's slightly below the level of 'Ocean's Eleven' but does better 'Ocean's Twelve'. As with the preceding two, the cast elevate these films up with strong performances from George Clooney & Co. In regards to O13, I feel the plot is a tad drawn out though it does deliver by the end with its entertaining outcome.