E-O-Eleven.

Rating: Null/10 (8 December 2001)

I watched the original OCEAN'S 11 about six years ago when I was in my Las Vegas kick. I enjoyed the plot of eleven men trying to rob five casino's (Flamingo, Sands, Desert Inn, Rivera, and Sahara) at the same time on New Year's Eve. The problem is that the movie took about an hour to get started talking about the heist and once it was done it was like, ho-hum. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie more the more times I watched it, but seeing Ol' Blue Eyes, Dean, Sammy, Peter, and Pal Joey pulling pranks on the Russian boss who is put together the heist and and playing pranks on each other, it reminded me of party crashing someone's party, or watching a party that happened eons ago. I thought that a remake of OCEAN'S 11 would be a great movie, if it is done in a caper-heist style. Steve Soddenberg thought so also, and now his latest film is the remake of OCEAN'S 11. Instead of a modern "Rat Pack" Soddenberg casted well played actors for his version. Replacing "One Take Frank" is George Clooney as Danny Ocean. That is a perfect casting choice, I can't think of another actor out there who is super-cooler than Clooney. Ocean is just released from a minimum New Jersey State Prison after serving five years. He immediately violates parole by seeing his old partner Dusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) in Hollywood. Danny suggests to Dusty to not rob one but three casinos in Las Vegas (Belliago, Mirage, & MGM Grand), the three biggest money making casinos all owned by Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). Danny wants to get revenge on Terry because Terry is engaged to Danny's ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts) which Danny is still in love with, and Danny wants to win Tess back. Danny and Dusty put together a team fianced by Ruben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould) a former casino manager, who's casino was bought out by Benedict to have it be demolished in a ground-breaking ceremony. The team includes Danny, Dusty, Ruben, Frank (Bernie Mac) a blackjack dealer, Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle) a demolitions expert, Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck & Scott Cann) two screwball mechanics, Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner) a gambler, a electronics expert (Edward Jenison), a carnival trapeeze artist (Shaobo Quin), and Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) a master pickpocket. Together these 11 men try to pull off a heist that has never been done in Las Vegas, up against a man who will not only ruin the lives of those trying to rob him, but also the lives of the would-be robber's family. OCEAN'S 11 is a film that Soddenberg made only for "entertainment purposes." OCEAN'S does pull something off that has never been done in Hollywood in a long time: IT'S BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!! This movie is fast, funny, exciting, and entertaining all at the same time. I just watched the original OCEAN'S 11 again last week, I think it will be a while before I can sit down and watch the Rat Pack again. This version I have already seen twice and plan on seeing it again! Soddenberg chops out all the slow romance borning parts of the original, and the sub-plot involving Ceaser Romero and makes this version very enjoyable. I was amazed that Soddenberg got permission to shoot this movie inside the Belliago casino, since it is the target of getting robbed in the film. The shots of Las Vegas are beautiful (like Dean Martin sang in "Ain't That A Kick In the Head.") There is one shot in the movie of a Las Vegas blackout that blew my mind away, how many of you could imagine a complete blackout in Las Vegas? The acting and dialogue between the actors is another major standout. Lines like, Ocean: "Does he (Terry) make you laugh?" Tess: "He doesn't make me cry the way I use to." Ouch! Sharp dialogue even from the heroine, that is very rare. The dialogue between the 11 guys, Tess, and Terry are all enjoyable, it's the kind of dialogue that made PULP FICTION and JERRY MAGUIRE well liked and famous movies that are still being quoted today. Clooney and Pitt do stand out with their acting from the crew, but Gould and Reiner also do impressive jobs also stealing the show from Clooney and Pitt that it shows that old dogs still have what it takes to run the show.
Is OCEAN'S 11 the best movie of the year? No, is it the most entertaining? You betcha! This is the kind of popcorn movie that I enjoy: big stars, flashy locations, sharp dialogue, and wonderful plot twists. Now I think Michael Bay, Simon West, Jan De Bont, and Stephen Sommers need to all sit down and watch this movie. That way they can get an idea on how to make a big budget entertaining film that works, and not fizzles (i.e. TOMB RAIDER, MUMMY RETURNS, THE HAUNTING, etc.) Classic film, no, enjoyable and watchable more than once? definitly! ***** (out of five)