Ocean's 8

Before the Ghostbusters remake was released, I was uncertain as to how it would turn out. I had more faith in "Ocean's 8" but both movies ended up being about equal in terms of entertainment value. The main reason both were okay but not great is because their plots were not original enough. In the case of "Ocean's 8", its plot was too similar to that of "Ocean's Eleven". The cast of this spin-off in terms of variety was well chosen and you didn't see the plot twists coming but I still wish the story had been more fun to watch and more original.

It is true that some time has passed since "Ocean's Thirteen". Fittingly, "Ocean's 8" was released eleven years after that movie to the day. Being a spin off, "Ocean's 8" had the potential for success but could have done even more to be original. Too many plot points have a counterpart in "Ocean's Eleven". Both films open with a parole hearing and the protagonist being released from jail. The shoplifting spree was a nice touch but it didn't make Debbie all that appealing in my eyes. When her brother was released, the first things he did was to reconnect with past friends and scam some rich, naive celebs in a game of poker. What makes Debbie even less charming in my eyes than her brother is that the target of her heist doesn't have it coming. I'm not talking about Becker but rather Cartier. Danny Ocean always seemed to steal from lowlifes such as Terry Benedict, Francois Toulour and Willie Bank. Debbie is justified in revenge against the guy who framed her but Cartier isn't portrayed as an evil organization. Another comparison between the two films is the "need to talk" scene. Just as Rusty finds out about Tess, Lou finds out about Becker. There are setbacks in the story that make the movie interesting but the biggest unforeseen problem, the magnet, is solved way too fast for my liking. Even though Basher's setback in "Ocean's Eleven" was also solved quite fast with the pinch, it didn't go perfectly. That solution created more hurdles such as Yen's bandage and Linus almost getting caught. With one phone call, Nine Ball solves the magnet problem and I felt cheated out of a more interesting plot. Despite the headstone, Debbie seems to hint that it could all be just another scam of Danny's. The best way for Danny Ocean to retire after all is not to pretend to be a basketball coach but to fake his death. It was kind sad to kill him off but maybe the filmmakers are setting us up for a future plot point in a sequel they hope to make. The plot did have two surprises and I liked the first one more than the second because it explains the title. The first surprise also brings redemption for "the mule". The second surprise, as pleasing as it was, felt more like a Deus ex machina than anything and once again, I felt robbed. Sure there was the toy submarine that hinted at this ending but they could have done more to properly prepare us. I also did not like how they reused a piece of music from "Ocean's Thirteen" during the gala.

I wonder if "Gravity" acted as the passing of the torch from one Ocean to the next. Unfortunately, Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock is not able to create a protagonist that is as charming and appealing as her fellow Oscar-winner George Clooney. Another Oscar winner, Cate Blanchett, likewise didn't quite deliver and I felt that Helena Bonham Carter deserved a more confident character to bring to life. She is good at the quirky characters no doubt but Ross Weil felt more pathetic than anything. I never seem to recognize Richard Armitage in any of his movies until after its over. At least all the members of the team were different from one another. My favourite character was Nine Ball as played by Rihanna and Mindy Kaling was also good. Anne Hathaway's character, by the end of the movie, was noteworthy. Two members of Ocean's Eleven have cameos and they created joy when they showed up (even though the last cameo felt too unexpected). There was supposed to be four cameos but two of them were edited out of the final film. Some of the past works of Oscar-nominated writer and director Gary Ross include "Seabiscuit" and "The Hunger Games" but I don't think he filled the shoes of Steven Soderbergh very well (Soderbergh was a producer on this film by the way).

I have been quite pessimistic in my review of "Ocean's 8" because in truth, it is not horrible. Those new to this franchise will probably enjoy it. I personally however can relate more to "Ocean's Trilogy" than this spin-off. The characters and plot points do not make up for the lack of originality and fun.

3.5 Stars out of 5