"There's water in the basement and the pilot light's out!"

Rating: 7/10 (17 February 2018)

If this movie has a downside, and many of the reviewers here think it does, I think it tries to be ambitious to a fault trying to top it's predecessor, "Ocean's Eleven". This was no more evident than in the gimmick to raise the level of a building by three inches using some underwater hydraulic contraptions. I couldn't follow the logistics of that escapade, much less think it was feasible at all, but the sheer audacity of the idea sounded compelling as all get out. But come on, Linus Caldwell's (Matt Damon) idea for a 'lookie-loo and a bundle of joy' was brilliant; who else would have come up with the idea of Julia Roberts impersonating Julia Roberts in a movie? It was almost as good as Bruce Campbell portraying Elvis Presley who in turn impersonates an Elvis Presley impersonator in 2002's "Bubba Ho-Tep". Try wrapping your heard around that one.
So Julia Roberts provides the number '12' in this outing, which reunites the usual gang of idiots from the first movie. Good to see Don Cheadle got his own credit for the flick this time around. I will agree that there's a lot to be confused about in the story if you're not paying attention, so you need to be glued to the picture throughout. Noteworthy scenes include Tess's (Roberts) encounter with Bruce Willis (as himself), and Vincent Cassel's turn as a slow motion break-dancer doing the laser field jump.
In the end, the caper turns out to be almost secondary to the zaniness involved in all of this. None of it's believable at all, but what was believable about "Ocean's Eleven" when you come right down to it? Leave your brain at the door and just enjoy the flick for the camaraderie and fun involved with the Ocean crew. It's easier that way.