OCEAN'S 13

Director: Stephen Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Traffic, Sex Lies and Videotape)
Starring: Clooney, Pitt, Pacino, Damon, Cheadle, and a lot more

I liked Ocean's Twelve. I'll admit it. I am not ashamed. Yes, there were some parts (ahem ... Julia Roberts) that I found nearly idiotic. Nonetheless I thought that movie got a bad rap by the critics. It wasn't great, but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as they claimed.

I say this because Ocean's Thirteen thouroughly listened to the critics who panned Twelve. The story returned to Vegas, like the original. The plot followed a single casino caper, like the original. The film was Vegas cool, rather than Euro-cool. There isn't an iota of creativity in Ocean's 13. It's obvious, even cosy for those who liked the original film.

For my money I enjoyed Twelve because it did not follow the standard Hollywood formula for sequels (bigger, Brighter, LOUDER). It was a solid film that I think could live on its own. No it didn't measure up to the original (hence the critics panning it), but if it hadn't existed as a sequel I think it would have gotten solid reviews. I tend to believe that many critics like nothing more than panning previously successful people and projects. Generally speaking you will only see truly mean reviews when someone tries to tackle an important subject (meaning serious) and it fails, or a director follows up a success with an average film. As long as you make safe dumb movies, you will usually get at least decent reviews. Try anything new though, and Whammo!

Anyway back to Thirteen. Guess what? It's safe. It's not dumb exactly, but it's certainly not what you'd call creative. It's Hollywood sequel all the way. We've got the first plot ... amped way UP. It does have some funny moments. It does have some of the same fun comraderie of the previous pictures. It does have an enjoyable plot. It's decent. It's also safe, and yes, it probably is a little dumb.

Here the new bad guy is played by Pacino as a hotel mogul opening his new monstrosity on the Vegas Strip. During its construction he double-crosses his partner Reuben (Eliott Gould), who ends up in a stupor after a massive coronary attack. The Ocean gang decide to elicit some revenge on Pacino and concoct a scheme to scam the hotel out of milllions (okay, hundreds of millions), while simultaneously ensuring that the property is poorly reviewed in the Michelin guide, or AAA hotel guide (or whatever review board it was in the film).

As an aside, don't you think it's a little bit funny that the world's greatest culinary review guide has a big, puffy, cartoon Michelin man on it's cover? I know I do.

Anyway, the gang seems to make it up as they go, as one obstacle is overcome a new one presents itself. They have to put down a strike at a Mexican factory (seriously, and it was pretty darn funny too). They have to create a fake earthquake (in a plot concept I found far more absurd than anything in Ocean's Twelve). Even the French bad guy from Twelve makes a brief appearance and is again beaten in a battle of double-crosses.

It's not a bad movie. I enjoyed it. I was entertained. I also realize that this isn't anything special.

Standouts: There are still moments of the comraderie, humor and slick coolness from the original.
Blowouts: It's a bit dumber. It's a bit less beleivable. It's a bit sillier. I also didn't like the pacing of this film.

Grade: B-