Overdone sequel but still good and enjoyable enough.

Rating: 6/10 (26 May 2011)

The first "Ocean's Eleven" was probably one of the most entertaining and clever heist movies that I had ever seen, so in that light "Ocean's Twelve" is a disappointment but does that also make this a bad movie? Of course not!
The movie uses basically all of the same ingredients and all of the same characters, with added this time even more characters. Also the stories get more complicated but complicated in this case doesn't mean more clever. No, actually the story this time isn't much special and also nothing too spectacular to be honest. The movie is really lacking one clear main point, or heist in this case, that it is build up to.
It's not necessarily that much of a confusing movie to watch but it is one that feels a bit messy and disjointed, since its set in multiple different countries this time and not all of the characters are always together as a team. On top of that, the story also isn't always told chronologically and features quite some flashbacks in it. They were perhaps just trying too hard to top the first movie, which instead backfired at them.
To be honest the movie to me was a perfectly fun and watchable one for its first hour or so but after that things start to go downhill with its story, which also really goes eventually at the expense of the movie its entertainment value. It makes the movie even feel overlong, while it actually is only just a normal average 2 hours long.
They also perhaps too desperately tried to shoehorn in every character from the first movie into this one. In the first movie Danny Ocean's eleven each served a purpose within the story because of their special skills, while in this movie their skills really aren't that relevant for them, since they don't put them to use. No, half of the characters could had easily been cut from its script but in that case we wouldn't had had a "Ocean's Twelve" of course. But it also makes it all the more unnecessary that new characters, played by well known actors, get introduced in this movie.
Sure, it's all still good fun seeing all of these big names acting together in one movie, also since they themselves obviously were having fun with it, which make it all the more pleasant for the viewer as well. Especially George Clooney and Brad Pitt remain great in this movie. Also the newly added Catherine Zeta-Jones does a great job. It still are foremost the actors and all of their chemistry together that make this still a good and enjoyable enough watch. Just imaging this movie without any of them and you would have a pretty bad and maybe even boring movie. Same goes for Steven Soderbergh directing approach.
Besides all of the familiar names, all of the Ocean's movies also have a familiar style to them. They are all hip, stylish movies to watch, which also still really helps to make these movies better than the average ones within the genre.
It's also good to see how they had really learned from their mistakes with this movie, since the third movie, of course named "Ocean's Thirteen", is a much better one again, that also is being more like the first movie with its story, fun and characters.
They really tried too hard with this movie and truly overdid it this time but all in all this movie remains a good and enjoyable enough watch.
6/10
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