Silly it is, but Ocean's Thirteen is funnier and visually more pleasing than Ocean's Twelve

Rating: 6/10 (19 August 2007)

In the third instalment of this glossy franchise, heist-mogul-turned hotel entrepreneur Reuben (Gould) finds himself double-crossed out of a deal to open a new hotel-casino on the Las Vegas strip, by evil co-dealer Willy Banks (Pacino). This lands Reuben in hospital after a near fatal heart attack. After hearing of the deal, Danny and his crew decide to exact revenge on Banks by sabotaging the grand opening of his new venture. Perhaps what Ocean's Twelve lacked was the glossy (although admittedly tacky) aesthetic that Las Vegas rewarded the first film with. Because even when Ocean's Thirteen doesn't quite work, such as during the odd faux-romance scenes between Ellen Barkin and Matt Damon, at least the scenery jumps out at you. Yes Clooney, Pitt, Pacino and Soderbergh are way better than this - but the movie is fun, and in comparison with the utter mess that was Ocean's Twelve, it's nothing but a sprightly addition to a series that has probably run its course.