Wednesday Movie Night: Ocean's Twelve (2004)

There are high expectations for Ocean's Twelve after the first one, and I have a feeling a lot of people were disappointed. Steven Soderberg comes back to direct, and he brings back the whole cast with him, but this movie runs like a good time between the actors than an actual plot line of continuing the story along. While that may be fun to watch if you're a fan of the actors in the movie it leaves you not feeling you got very far in the series after you're done watching the movie.

Danny Ocean is back and in Europe, and this time he's going to have to pull off even a bigger heist because Terry Benedict knows who stole his money, and he wants it back. Instead of having them thrown in prison though he is giving them the chance to pay it back. He needs to enlist one more to help out with this one though, making it twelve now instead of eleven. With Rusty also distracted this time though it is leaving Danny feeling a little stranded and more desperate to make this one work.


So if you're a fan of the actors you might find their get together intriguing as the first hour of the movie just feels like a big chat, and family time between the crew gathering in Europe and enjoying the scenery and luxuries. The heist doesn't really get going till after the first hour is passed, and while this does improve it plot wise it seems to almost feel a little too late. Also, you begin catching on that there is no real bad guy in this movie. Everyone seems to just be having fun with each other and you don't even feel a real movie has been made because everyone was taking it so not seriously.

George Clooney though still does have his charm as Danny, and when Rusty is put in the same position as him as he was in the last movie it is a nice twist. Julia Roberts also returns as Tess, and does bring everything about her we like back too. The only thing is it takes an hour to see these personalities really act. One of my favorites has become Andy Garcia as Terry though. You can tell he's arrogant, but it's also fun to see how he puts these guys on the run.

As said though, the first hour gets it off to a very slow start, and once the action begins so does some very out there things that are supposed to be twists, but are really just ridiculous. You almost wonder just how not seriously this movie can take itself by this point because it feels like a huge filler to the next movie, and while it is nice to see people having fun it definitely doesn't feel like a movie.

I think you can almost just skip to Ocean's Thirteen without watching the second, but if you're a fan of the cast and like the smooth style that the first movie was done it then you'll find interest in this one despite the lack of being too serious or even really a plot. You don't have to worry about a lot of the serious things you usually do with most movies though like bad guys and the such as everyone seems on good fun terms.

Rating 5 of 10.