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OCEAN’S THIRTEEN (2007) (**1/2)

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If this film were not part of the OCEAN'S franchise, it would be just an average, plot-heavy, slightly absurd heist comedy. With great stars and some of the familiar wit of the first two installments, the film does entertain, but it's a franchise that's truly showing its age. The motivation for the caper was promising, but it never hits home, because the details of the fantastic caper take up way too much time. With the screenplay taking up minute after minute explaining just how high tech the new casino is and how difficult it will be to pull off the job, all those details are just smoke and mirrors to obscure the same old tricks from before.

Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould, THE LONG GOODBYE) has gotten into business with heavy hitter hotel entrepreneur Willie Bank (Al Pacino, HEAT). Once Bank gets what he needs from Tishoff, he cuts him out of the deal, leaving the old-timer penniless and bed ridden due to a heart attack. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) hears of the tragedy and calls the old crew back together to avenge their friend. They set out to rig it so the casino's games pay out big on opening night, thus bankrupting Bank. But when problems arise, they ask for help from their old adversary Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia, THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS), who demands that they also steal Bank's prized diamond necklaces, which are extremely well protected. The new wrinkle needs someone to get close to Bank's right hand Abigail Sponder (Ellen Barkin, THE BIG EASY) and Linus (Matt Damon, THE BOURNE IDENTITY) takes on the mission of a love con. Meanwhile, the crew's opponent from the second film, Francois Toulour (Vincent Cassel, EASTERN PROMISES), keeps popping up around town.

First off, Julia Roberts is sorely missed in this outing. I'd even say the same thing about Catherine Zeta-Jones. This time around its really a boy's night out and that takes away one of the best elements of the franchise. I loved the sexual tit for tat between Clooney and Roberts in the original, while Zeta-Jones and Brad Pitt rekindled some of that fire in the first sequel. Ocean's love for Julia Robert is far more appealing than his love for Elliot Gould. In addition to missing that key part, the film also repeats some of the same stunts from the previous installments, thus making them easily predictable. The franchise has well developed the Ocean's crew's connections, so possible threats don't carry the same tension, because we know there's a twist. Moreover, the Ocean's gang always feels like they are three steps ahead of everyone, thus missing the direct one-upmanship that Ocean and Benedict had in the original.

Though for the most part Pitt, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Don Cheadle and Shaobo Qin are underused or made to repeat themselves, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan and Eddie Jernison get some nice moments. Jernison's Livingston Dell, who was underdeveloped in the previous films, has a nice mini character arch this time around, which I liked. Affleck and Caan are involved in what seems to be unnecessary sequences, that turn out to be the most character driven and funniest moments. New additions to the cast such as Eddie Izzard, Julian Sands, David Paymer and Bob Einstein (aka Super Dave Osborne) are not much more than cameos.

With a trilogy complete lets hope director Steve Soderbergh goes back to films like SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE or BUBBLE. Clooney should keep doing MICHAEL CLAYTONs and Brad Pitt… well you get the point. OCEAN'S THIRTEEN is an okay last turn for the franchise, but the spark that made the other two films so fun is gone.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks