Ocean’s Twelve-2004
Director Steven Soderbergh
Starring George Clooney
Scott’s Review #1,157
Reviewed June 30, 2021
Grade: B-
The casino heist gang is back together again for more action and adventure in a film that was only made because of the success of its predecessor, Ocean’s Eleven (2001).
The uninspiring title of the film, Ocean’s Twelve (2004), is a letdown compared to the fantastic and enthralling 2001 film.
What felt like a purely original idea, even though it was a remake, now feels like stale bread that was fresh only yesterday.
Thankfully, Steven Soderbergh returns to the fold, adding some style and solid direction.
The story is slow to kick off and provides an implausible and unconventional ending that doesn’t work, nearly negating most of the previous activity.
There is something a bit irritating about watching a film knowing it was made for only one reason, and that the plot seems rushed and poorly thought out.
But that’s Hollywood.
Undoubtedly, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and other top talent enjoyed hefty paychecks.
This is also concerning, as the performances come across as ho-hum and seem to be driven by the big bucks being deposited into big bank accounts for services rendered.
The inauthenticity all around is evident in lazy acting and writing.
The foil and mark, Terry Benedict, once again played by Andy Garcia, realizes that the gang has robbed him of millions and demands the money back with interest.
Unfortunately, much of it has already been spent.
Unable to come up with the cash, the crew must come together to pull off another series of heists, this time in Europe.
Presumably, they are not well known there.
Being “forced” to do what the career criminals love to do is far-fetched.
Danny (George Clooney) and the gang hatch a plan to swap a Fabergé Imperial Coronation Egg for a holographic recreation. Linus (Damon) comes up with a second plan involving Danny’s wife, Tess (Julia Roberts), posing as a pregnant woman to get close to the Egg and swap it.
They are foiled by Lahiri (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and coincidentally, Bruce Willis, and the rest of the group is captured.
While it’s slightly clever having Willis and Roberts appear as themselves, especially when Julia Roberts plays another character in the film, it doesn’t work as well as it sounds on paper.
The story is way too convoluted, and Ocean’s Twelve quickly turns into the sort of film you tune out of, enjoying the non-story points more than the written word. In this case, that’s not a positive aspect.
The film’s successes, mainly the return of the A-list cast, are also negative.
While it’s fun to reconnect with familiar characters like Danny Ocean, Rusty (Pitt), and Linus, we know the characters too well, and they become caricatures. Meaning they behave exactly as one would expect.
Still, it is admittedly juicy and exciting to witness so many A-listers on one big screen, especially when there is trickery, scheming, and just a hint of romance to be had.
I’ll also take part in just about any film that goes on location in Paris, Rome, Monte Carlo, and Amsterdam. It’s an orgy of European history and goodness, adding cultural trimmings to a sub-par storyline.
Particularly inviting are the villa scenes set in the lush Lake Como.
Ocean’s Twelve (2004) will please only those who are obsessed enough with the franchise to enjoy what is a retread of the 2001 film, set in various parts of Europe rather than Las Vegas.
It isn’t nearly enough for me, as most cleverness and bright, crisp writing are gone.
