I was a huge fan of Ocean’s 11 (2001), I love the spy/con movies with lots of brain work, complicated schemes, etc etc. Similarly I liked Spy Games, Confidence, Italian Job, and a few others from that genre. When I saw Ocean’s 12 (I think even in theaters), on the other hand, I felt the distinct need to get 2 hours of my life back. Given that, should I watch Ocean’s 13, yea or nay?
Since I might actually watch this movie, I’d appreciate it if major spoilers were boxed or vague enough that they don’t ruin anything.
It’s better than 12, but not as good as 11. Part of what made 11 work and 12 NOT work was that there was one scheme, developed over the course of the movie. On the upside, there is one scheme instead of many smaller heists. On the down side, it’s not quite as satisfying as the scheme in 11.
The story wasn’t nearly as tight as it was in the first movie - I’m still not sure what Bernie Mac was doing there - but it was still a coherent plot, with plenty of good moments.
As an aside, you probably want to get the original Ocean’s 11 as well. I’m not trying to inject it into the preferential ordering of the modern flicks, but if you’ll probably enjoy it.
I agree with the 11, 13, 12 ordering above. 13 will leave you scratching your head over a few things, and is rather sequelish – plenty of crap jammed in there for no reason other than to capitalize on the franchise. I’m not sure there were glaring plot holes per se, but a lot of superfluousness.
I enjoyed 13 the best. I’m not saying it was the best movie, but I enjoyed it more than 11 because it’s just a really fun movie. They cut out all the Tess nonsense and just had fun with it. And I hated 12 at first, but I enjoy it more each time I watch it.
My mother had gone back to watch the original ocean’s 11. Though she remembered liking it back in the day, she found it to be a bit…corny by modern standards. maybe though.
The original Ocean’s 11 is all right. Certainly not the best Rat Pack movie there is. I remember it mostly for Dean Martin’s song Ain’t That A Kick In The Head.
There’s a line in the Rickles documentary Mr. Warmth that sums up the original Ocean’s 11. It’s best not as a movie, but as a time capsule of what Las Vegas was like before it shifted into what it is today. If you’re into that, it’s a lot of fun to watch. But I actually think the remake succeeds as a more engaging and fun movie in its own right, which is rare for a remake.
I thought the original was very sloppily done - an attitude which doesn’t work in the heist genre. Ocean’s 11 is a good example of the remake being better than the original.
As for the George Clooney series, I’m with the consensus: Eleven was good, Thirteen was okay if you liked that kind of thing, and Twelve can be skipped.
Few bits about the original that make it worth it:
[ul]
[li]I don’t know if it’s in other Rat Pack movies, but there’s a scene of them walking in front of Sands with a sign heralding their show. It’s one of cinema’s coolest shots; [/li][li]Most of the dialogue was ad libbed;[/li][li]Per IMDB:[/li][quote]
[li]According to Frank Sinatra Jr. on the DVD Commentary, Sammy Davis Jr. was forced to stay at a “colored only” hotel during the filming because Las Vega would not allow blacks to stay at the major hotels despite his appearing with Sinatra, Martin, and the others at the Sands Hotel. He was only allowed to stay at the major hotels, therefore breaking Vegas’ unofficial color barrier after Frank Sinatra confronted the casino owners on his behalf.[/li][/quote]
[li]and (major spoiler):Whether or not you saw it coming a moment or a mile before, the cremation scene is numbing. [/li][/ul]
I found 13 nearly unwatchable. 12 was fun but it had plot holes you could drive a truck through. 11 was OK. I watched all three back-to-back-to-back on a recent flight.
I like 12, it grows on me each time I watch it. 13 is fun, but there’s never any danger. There were high stakes in 11 and 12 that weren’t in 13. It still has the same interactions between the characters that make them all fun though. I also rank them 11, 13, and 12.
This may seem like an odd reason to dislike 13 but it was a major one for me:
A lot of the charm and enjoyment of 11 was it’s setting. The Bellagio is gorgeous and is the perfect backdrop for the film. And because it’s a real place I can picture where they are in the hotel during scenes. Sure it’s eye candy but it makes the movie for me.
13 on the other hand was an imaginary hotel. And it was ugly, dark, garrish, and tacky.
It didn’t make me want to go there or be there. A total turn off.
They should have gotten permission and filmed in the Wynn hotel. It would have made the movie.
I actually haven’t seen 13 either, but I do want to. They had the cast returning and I greatly enjoyed 11 and 12. 11 moreso of course, but I still liked both movies so that’s a movie that is definitely on my pile of shame.
13 has some of what they’d now call “Nuking the Fridge”… something put in that’s so implausible that it’s hard to continue to be involved in the story.
(possible spoiler, though it’s in like the first 20 mins of the movie as I recall)
Causing an earthquake under one hotel is pretty hard to take, even with a suspension of disbelief.
I didn’t see Ocean’s Eleven in the theater, but then I started seeing it a lot while channel surfing. One time I decided to watch for a while. The next time, I watched all the way to the end. Finally I decided I should see the whole thing, so I Netflixed it.
It’s a great movie, not for the heist, but for the way the characters interact before the heist. There’s an early scene when Danny (George Clooney) has recruited most of the gang, and is talking to Rusty (Brad Pitt). Rusty is leaning on a bar, resting his chin on his hand, and staring into space.
Rusty doesn’t say anything, or even move.
By then end of the movie, I almost didn’t care if they got the money.