OCEAN'S THIRTEEN (2007) **1/2 It's very 21st century hip, but for a franchise predicated on taking chances this one pretty much plays it safe. Not in a bad way, it's not difficult to do worse than hand things over to George Clooney and Brad Pitt. That works fine, you figure it probably almost always would. The main problem with it being that Brad seems determined to play second fiddle, and the other problem being that he succeeds. Yeah he flashes that California smile at all the right times, and walks around well groomed with that supreme confidence, but George gets all the big lines and best moments, and delivers on them as well it should be said. None of that changes the fact that it's very much a formula by this point, and the high-tech genius deviations aren't going to catch us off guard like they did the first time. Hell, Clooney though!, you can almost believe that he's tough enough to walk up to Al Pacino and talk to him, psychologically backed up by his posse savant, at least. Steven Soderbergh plays his directorial strategy just right too, given the macrocosmic cinematic strategy. He lives by and for flash, but he plays the split-screens and identification injections sparingly, and beneath the action. That's right, he underplays his part with an abject flamboyance that could only be borne of success. It's well done and a lot of fun and leaves you good about humanity, and particularly the most brilliant criminal elements. If it lacks artistic balls, who cares? They're just acting anyway, man. The Mexican dice plant strike stuff is great.
back to Brilliant Observations on 2120 Films page, or Index
go back home, or send me email
Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your exciting new terrorist novel!
I've already read both of your novels. Thank you, they're amazing. Now I want to check out your weekly blog on everything
Internet Movie Database