Ocean's Twelve Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)December 16th, 2004
"Ocean's 12" – Cheaper by the Dozen
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004
Too many cooks spoil the soup. And in this case, too many characters make for a difficult film to follow. There's too much traffic and if you haven't seen "Ocean's 11," then you're likely to get lost.
No wonder why most of them get thrown into jail.
Many of them are unnecessary to the plot of this film. So they are wisely put aside for much of the movie. But they are all here from the previous film. That includes the victim of that incredible Bellagio Hotel Heist (Andy Garcia), who has come back to demand payment. Never mind that insurance monies have already made up for his losses. This is an ego-driven businessman who doesn't like to lose. And so he spends the first 30 minutes of the film in various scenes tracking down those responsible for the robbery.
He wants $19 million per person and gives them two weeks to come up with it. Many of the group members have already spent the majority of their stolen loot. So, the ringleader, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) brings everyone back together to come up with a way to pay off their debt. Off to Europe they go in search of another big score.
"Ocean's 12" has that insouciant feeling when a lot of familiar faces get back together. It's almost like a reunion, and given the star wattage of some of these celebrities, it's certainly fun to watch them together again. Now, some of the elements are pretty entertaining. Danny and Rusty (Brad Pitt), his right-hand man, have more opportunities to butt heads with each other as their plan is based more on desperation than
inspiration. I liked the new and improved Linus
(Matt Damon). He's more sure-footed this time around. And, you'll enjoy the romantic interlude between Rusty and a sly detective (Catherine Zeta Jones). Even the inclusion of a competing thief known as the NightFox added some spice.
But the film never quite executes fully. There are several interesting ideas at work. And, perhaps, if just two of them were developed more thoroughly while the others were discarded, there would be a really good movie in here. It seems to start and stop every 15 minutes because the film has a cadre of personalities on which to focus. It's all kind of muddled, lacking the crisp construction that made the first film a lot
of fun.
Its saving grace is the beautiful locales, which takes this group to Amsterdam and Rome. The look of the film is handsome. Sometimes, the feel of it reminds you of caper films in which handsome rogues flirt dangerously with beautiful women as they risk getting caught. And the competition for Greatest Thief could have been more clever and absorbing. I certainly wouldn't mind an entire film based on the NightFox.
If there was an award given to a film where an audience expected a lot but got little in return, this enterprise would certainly be a nominee. "Ocean's 12" fails to engage. Perhaps the film is really just an opportunity for a great cast to come together again. Sure, they look great together. And, there are bits and pieces that you'll enjoy. The dialogue is sometimes witty.
But, that's kind of a flimsy excuse to make a film with this caliber of stars in a setting that is so beautiful.
Grade: C
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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