‘Ocean’s Eight’ Review
11 years have passed since the release of Ocean’s Thirteen. Though there has been a plethora of heist films released since then, none of them were ever quite as classy as Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Trilogy. Now, Warner Bros. has tried to recapture that magical classiness with the release of Ocean’s Eight.
Instead of being a remake or a prequel, Ocean’s Eight exists as a soft reboot. The events in this film take place after Ocean’s Thirteen, but with brand new characters and an entirely different storyline. If you’ve never seen an Ocean’s film before, then you will be happy to know that Ocean’s Eight definitely stands on it’s own. And if you are a fan of the Ocean’s Trilogy, then you will be happy to know that Ocean’s Eight is a welcome return-to-form for the franchise.
Debbie Ocean has been in jail for over five years, but that doesn’t stop her from devising the biggest heist of her entire life. As soon as Debbie is released from prison, she immediately puts together a crew of specialists. Their target? An old necklace worth over $150 million.
Sandra Bullock stars as Debbie Ocean, and she does a great job as the film’s leading lady. I don’t think Debbie Ocean’s character is given as much depth as Danny Ocean’s character in Ocean’s Eleven, but that’s not a terribly big deal. Bullock does a swell job as the main character, and she is believable as this wanted criminal. Debbie Ocean even comes across as a better con artist than Danny Ocean at times. If her character were just a bit more developed, I think that would have added some much needed heart into Ocean’s Eight’s narrative.
Though Sandra Bullock may star in the leading role, this is much more than a simple Sandra Bullock film; Ocean’s Eight would be nothing without its fantastic ensemble cast. The Ocean’s movies probably wouldn’t work if it weren’t for their ensemble casts, and the casting in Ocean’s Eight is spot on. Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter all work excellently together. These actresses all had great chemistry together, and they all played off one another extraordinarily well. No one actress particularly stood out to me, but that didn’t take away from the fact that this ensemble worked great as a whole.
Thought it wasn’t a stand out performance, this is definitely Rihanna’s best work as an actress. Her character, Nine Ball, is literally the only character whose name I can recount. That may be because Nine Ball isn’t an actual name, but the character and the nickname were utilized effectively throughout the narrative. Maybe Rihanna just needs a talented ensemble to riff off of whenever she performs. Or perhaps she really is a talented actress and just needs better scripts to work with. Either way, I hope she continues to be involved with better movies than something like Battleship.
The biggest praise I can give Ocean’s Eight is that it is loads of fun. After seeing a more heartfelt heist film Logan Lucky, it was fun to see upper-class characters go on a heist just for shits and giggles. There are also a handful of Easter eggs that refer back to Soderbergh’s original trilogy, which of course make the movie all the more enjoyable. Every callback to the Ocean’s Trilogy was entertaining, but I appreciated the fact that they were never distracting. If you’ve never seen an Ocean’s film before, then these references will fly right over your head and not pull you out of the movie at all. But if you are an Ocean’s fan, then these Easter eggs should the movie more fun than it already is.
The only element I struggled having fun with was Anne Hathaway’s performance as Daphne Kluger. Kluger is supposed to be this famous celebrity, but her character feels overly ditsy for no reason. Her only defining trait was being a ditsy character, so Hathaway’s performance came across as frustratingly one-note. Hathaway does get the chance to redeem herself in the third act, but by this time, your perception of the character is already locked in.
Ocean’s Eight also has a very familiar plot. If you’ve ever seen Ocean’s Eleven, then you know exactly how Ocean’s Eight is going to pan out. The two movies are essentially the same, with only slight differences in the story. This is basically the same tactic used with soft reboots like Jurassic World, Creed, The Force Awakens, etc. But this formula does seem to be working for other studios, so if Warner Bros. wants to relaunch the Ocean series as a franchise, then creating a soft reboot was probably the right choice. It’s just a shame that I was able to tell what was going to happen as soon as the movie started.
There are a few unexpected twists that occur in the film’s final act, but they don’t all work for me. Certain reveals are made near the finale that just didn’t feel earned. I assume the filmmakers felt the need to add in some final twists and turns to really make Ocean’s Eight feel like it belongs with the other film’s in the franchise, but I don’t think these reveals were necessary. The screen time spent on unravelling these twists could have been used on smaller character-building moments, and the movie would have been just as good – if not better.
After watching an incredibly well-crafted movie like Logan Lucky last year, I really wish Soderbergh could have returned to direct this installment of the Ocean’s franchise. Soderbergh may not have done a perfect job with Ocean’s Twelve or Thirteen, but Ocean’s Eight lacks the heart that made a heist film like Logan Lucky feel so special.
Though I would have preferred Steven Soderbergh, Gary Ross did a swell job on directing duties. There are some directing and editing techniques that are used to invoke the feeling of a traditional Soderbergh film, but Ross never feels as though he’s doing a Soderbergh imitation. Ross’ take on Ocean’s Eight is fun, and it definitely brings back some class into the heist genre. Ocean’s Eight is an entertaining little film that fits perfectly into the existing Ocean’s franchise.
