Thirteen is lucky here!

Rating: 8/10 (14 June 2007)

To develop another sequel to the Ocean franchise was not much of a gamble. "11" hit it big at the box office so the films producers decided to double-down on 11 and produce a continuing "12" which brought more than a dozen of glories to the Ocean franchise even though "12" was not admired by critics. So now the waves are high on the expectations of "Ocean's Thirteen"! Will "Ocean's Thirteen" crash at the box office or will it be smooth financial sailing again? The film almost made $40 mil at the box office during its opening weekend run so I would say that this Specific Ocean is banking it in again. "Ocean's Thirteen" returns to Las Vegas and like "11" it focuses on an elaborate casino burglary scheme against a supercilious Las Vegas hotel entrepreneur. This time is Willy Banks played by Al Pacino. All the Ocean players are back to steal your heart with their witty banter and distinctive specializations. In case you forgot, the Ocean crew includes: The leader of this safecrack pack himself Danny Ocean (George Clooney), the slick Rusty (Brad Pitt), the "wanting to prove" Linus (Matt Damon), the Vegas hotel historian Reuben (Elliot Gould), the nervy Livingston (Eddie Jemison), the explosive Basher (Don Cheadle), the acrobatic shortie Yen (Shaobo Qin), the bickering brothers Virgil (Casey Affleck) & Turk (Scott Caan), the Croupier smoothie Frank (Bernie Mac), and the conning elder Saul (Carl Reiner). OK, so that is just 11! Who are the other two? The hotel villain of "11" Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) yes you heard right; and a techy wizard Roman (Eddie Izzard). Banks right-hand-woman Abigail played by Ellen Barkin is the sole female primary character in this Ocean tale. The ensemble acting is not much of an audacious effort by these thespian clowns, but it is still a supreme spectacle of movie stars having a ball on-the-job and doing it formidably & coolly. I do have a slight favoritism towards Elliot Gould taking the acting gold of this crew for his comical work as Reuben. Pacino banked it in also for yet another grand performance as a baddie in playing Banks. I cannot tell you more specifics of "Ocean's Thirteen" because that would be Movie Spoilery! And even the Ocean's Crew do not commit that one! What I can tell you is that "Ocean's Thirteen" is on a revenge heist against Banks who cheated Ruben out of millions on a hotel deal. Director Steven Soderbergh does recapture some of that cool aura and clever dialogue that brought "Ocean's Eleven" a critic goldmine. However, my money is still on "Ocean's Eleven" as the king of the trilogy! Nevertheless, you should still check out that Oceanview of "Ocean's Thirteen". **** Good