Far Superior to the Original

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2004)

7 out of 10
Agreeable, easygoing actioner detailing a motley group of eleven very different guys brought together to a rob a highly secure casino in Las Vegas.
This is a remake of the 1960 original that starred Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. This one is far, far better. Of course that film was so boring it is hard to believe that a remake could be any worse. That film did not concentrate on the robbery itself, but instead just relied upon ol' blue eyes and Dino mugging for the camera. This one is much more focused on the heist, which is elaborate and once it gets going even exciting. They also do not fill you in on the complete plan and therefore gives the viewer some real neat intricate twists to the heist as it progresses.

The real drawback to it is just the fact that it seems virtually impossible to pull off especially with the way that they do it. The fact that they do it with such ease really hurts the tension level. It also gets a bit too exaggerated and hi-tech. At times it almost seems more like an espionage film than a caper flick.
The comraderie amongst the group is one of the film's better elements. No one is overly obnoxious and no one is so cool that they can't be touched. These guys are slick, but they can still get nervous and display other vulnerabilities. There is also some genuine concern and support for each other. There is even some snappy exchanges although there could have been and should have been a lot more.
It is also nice that it breaks the age barrier and incorporates old timers Reiner and Gould into the fold. Gould is pretty much wasted, but at least it's nice seeing him back doing movies that are released to the theatre and not just to your local video store shelf. Although I must say his oversized Harry Carey glasses are awful and not even good for laughs. Reiner is good because he proves here that he can actually act as well as write and direct. The ethnic accent he uses isn't bad.
The character of the casino owner who gets robbed is a interesting one. He is a man that carries everything out with a precision and is apparently quite sadistic and violent if he feels you betrayed him. He is written as kind of 'untouchable' character with a mystic like the one in THE USUAL SUSPECTS. However Andy Garcia, who plays the part, fails to bring out even one shred of that mythical quality. In fact Garcia makes the character seem downright dull.
One should also mention the terrific smooth jazz score. It perfectly compliments the laid back style of the film and is distinct. Of course, at times, the film may get a little too laid back. It takes a while to get you involved with it and the ending is just too restrained.
I am usually not too into sequels, but a sequel here seems like a good idea. This is a fun bunch too watch and they should be enjoyable in further adventures. Their robbery schemes are clever. A little fine tuning and it should be a blast. Clooney is always good, but he overshadows Pitt too much and hopefully that will get rectified.