Terrific summer escape movie

Rating: 9/10 (10 June 2007)

I'm surprised by the number of scathing reviews I've read on this site. To me, this was back on par with the fun and cleverness of the first film. Overall, Thirteen was the funniest and breeziest of the three Ocean films. A lot of people have complained about the incredulity of the schemes and scenarios, and though this is true, it never took me away from the movie. It's supposed to be a fun, escapist movie. A summer romp.
My favorite aspect of this movie is the absence of an unnecessary romantic sub-story. I'm of the opinion that much of what is wrong with film and TV these days is the constant recycling of the same old love sub-stories. These stories have no place, generally, in fun heist movies. They have become expected, predictable, and annoying. I could list the films and TV shows that have been ruined by this trend. Anyway, the point is, Ocean's Thirteen is as good as it is largely because there is no Julia Roberts love triangle to distract us from the real story, what we really came to see. A heist! I think Ocean's Eleven was really a better film for the most part, but the whole love story nearly ruined it for me. That's why Thirteen is my favorite of the Ocean movies. And the film seems to know it itself, as there is never any mention of Julia Roberts' or Catherine Zeta-Jones' characters.
I mentioned before that Thirteen is the funniest of the three Ocean movies. Much of the humor is slightly self-referential, but never overly-so. Many of the lines are of the same witty variety that were so funny in the first film as well.
The acting is just as good as it was in Ocean's Eleven. Pitt and Clooney have so much chemistry together (on a strictly heterosexual level, not that there's anything wrong with that). They're just so darn good at being suave, cool, witty thieves that we love to root for. Pacino is terrific as the bad guy, of course, and Andy Garcia and Ellen Barkin are very good as well, though there is not as much for them to work with. I was a little disappointed that Don Cheadle and Bernie Mac didn't get as much screen time as they should have, but they did well with what they had, Cheadle especially.
What's so great about Ocean's Thirteen is that it consistently stays true to what it is: a fun heist movie. It moves along at a fast pace and never wavers. Like the original with the Rat Pack, this movie is really all about the guys, the Eleven, and I love that there is no cheesy love story to take away from that. Ocean's Thirteen is light and breezy for a heist film, and the humor adds to that. Overall, it is the perfect summer escape movie, and it makes no attempts to be any more than just that. It's my favorite of the three.