Ocean's Eleven was a movie that, despite massive
pushback from Hollywood (because it was a remake of a Frank Sinatra
movie) and being overwhelmingly top heavy (Brad Pitt, George Clooney,
Matt Damon) managed to find success by using the rare filmmaking
formula of being smart yet being fully aware of its own limitations.
Regardless of how much you liked the titular thiefs, you were always
aware that they were bad guys who were the heroes by the virtue of
ripping off a much worse guy. Everything beyond that single plot
point was just bonus footage. How do you expand on this winning (or
33% winning) formula? Switch the genders, limit the scope and let the
actresses shine their own winning personalities for a change. Is it
okay to say the movie works until it just doesn't?
Okay, look, Ocean's 8, if you're in the mood for a fun
little heist movie with arguably some of the best female talent in
Hollywood (Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson), some of better ticket
drawing females in Hollywood (Sandra Bullock) or Rihanna, chances are
this movie will provide the entertainment value you're looking for.
The heist itself is fun to watch unfold, the characters are mostly
charming and have enough on-screen charisma to keep you invested and,
even if you're a cynic like me, you can still just mock Helena Bonham
Carter's terrible Scottish accent if the movie starts to totally lose
you in the third act. It was a 110 minute movie that, while it did
occasionally lose me, it never really bored me.
Unfortunately, 8 ultimately fails where Eleven had its
most expert touch: there's just no Tony Benedict (Andy Garcia) this
time. The thing to remember about Eleven was that the gang was doing
the heist to stick it sideways to an arrogant, yet intelligent,
billionaire with the resources and dedication to be a compelling
villain worth rooting against. The mark in 8 is merely some dude who
made the mistake of burning Debbie Ocean (Bullock) years before and,
as of the movie, had promptly forgotten about her. He didn't stand to
lose millions in the heist or suffer any security embarrassment as a
result. He was just some schmuck with no personal investment in the
plot who was targeted for something he seemed to barely remember.
This ultimately turns the crew this time around into the bad guys by
the end when you realize they aren't avenging a past wrong so much as
spiting the moron for the sake of closure. You had the money, ladies,
you didn't have to kick the side character in the face on your way
out the door.
As for watching it, go for it. Despite being a movie
that, for all intents and purposes, doesn't really need to bear the
Ocean's moniker (it would have been a fine heist movie even without
the series connection), its still a fun time with some great comic
timing and a reasonably paced use of your time for once. The jokes
are funny without trying to bury themselves (Hi, Ghostbusters!), the
characters are as fun as they are unpredictable and, despite seeming
to be intent on one-upping the original, the plot never tries to
overwhelm it audience. You kept it simple! Good job!
Gary Ross (Hunger Games) goes for methodical over
emotional with Ocean's 8, a fun, sometimes overcomplicated, heist
comedy about women scorned and the extents they'll go to burn the
hapless target of their ire. Fresh out of prison and ready to steal
again, Debbie Ocean (Bullock) sets her sights on a $150 million
necklace at the Met Gala. With the help of some interesting and
talent characters and Rihanna, the group will attempt to pull off a
job in one of the the most heavily-policed museums in the world. Go
have fun and then try to stay awake when the movie goes to long and
drags James Corden into the movie in the third act. Maybe they
thought the movie was getting too good...
My score 7/10. The movie was cheap and can easily make
its money back with even a limited release schedule between summer
tentpole movies. I smell a potential franchise (it reeks superheroes
and space operas).
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