OCEAN's THIRTEEN

Just went to watch Ocean’s Thirteen the other day… Let me set it straight I liked the movie. It took a fair bit of trouble to convince my friends to go and watch the movie……. especially after the Ocean’s twelve bogus. It’s not that I am a great fan of big star casts nor that I am a great fan of George Clooney yet there was something about the movie that made it certain that I am going to watch the movie ever since the trailers were on air.

In this third installment, however, the boys aren’t in the game for the business. No, this time it’s personal. When one of their own, the irascible Reuben (Elliott Gould), suffers a heart attack after being double-crossed by malevolent hotel mogul Willie Bank (Al Pacino), Danny (George Clooney), Rusty (Brad Pitt), Linus (Matt Damon) and the rest of the gang decide to hit Bank where it hurts. They orchestrate it so not only will they ruin the hotelier financially by turning the tables on the precept that the house always wins, but also hurt Bank’s pride by giving his big new Las Vegas hotel a bad rating. The Ocean crew even manages to rope in their old nemesis, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), on the scam since Benedict can’t stand Bank or the monstrosity he has built on the Strip. The plan is a bit convoluted and seemingly damn near impossible, but the moral of the story is this: Mess with an Ocean, you get pummeled by the waves.

It was a gripping story of revenge yet without bloodshed, simple manipulation. It was a great account of how one can use science to manipulate a casino and cause loot. Yet it never seemed a sci-fi movie because none of the concepts were high flying.

What has always made the Ocean's installments work is the freewheeling spirit and good-ol'-boy camaraderie from its eye-candy cast. Even though they are a bit more somber this time around--you know, worried about Reuben and all--the actors are still clearly enjoying themselves. Clooney and Pitt continue to be the suave ringleaders, finishing each other’s sentences and commiserating over the problems they are having with their respective spouses/girlfriends--which, in turn, explains why Tess (Julia Roberts) and Isabel (Catherine Zeta-Jones) aren’t in the movie. Basically, this “isn’t their fight,” and they aren’t needed. Actually, it’s Damon’s Linus who gets a love interest--sort of. The usually green Linus gets a chance to prove his mettle by donning a disguise (a big fake nose, to be exact) and wooing Bank’s second-in-command, the tough-as-nails Abigail Sponder, as part of the plan. She’s played winningly by Ellen Barkin, who fits right into this gentleman’s club. All the others are also in top form, proving they could keep making these movies and we’d never get tired of watching them play.