What do you say to a movie that is funny in parts, has a great ensemble of actors, a complicated plot, and extremely weird camera angles?
You call it average.
And if it has the added burden of a pretty cool prequel, then it becomes strictly average.
Ocean’s twelve starts off with Mr. Benedict’s (Andy Garcia) comeback- he wants his money back with interest and, that too, within the span of two weeks. Ocean’s eleven (George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, etc.) meet again and decide to head to Amsterdam to earn the loot back again. Hard on their heels is a Europol agent Isabel (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and ‘Night Fox’.
Night Fox who???? The rival thief who wants the title of the greatest robber in the world. Night Fox and Ocean’s eleven compete over robbing a yellow egg that has royal importance. Their attempts include Tess (Julia Roberts) acting as herself, a cameo appearance by Bruce Willis as himself, and some interesting aerobics by Night Fox (that looked a little similar to Catherine’s act in The Entrapment)
Also, somewhere in the melee is Isabel’s dad who was the most elusive thief once and was Night Fox’s mentor and who eventually helps Ocean in raking in the egg.
The movie has many twists and turns that the story could have done without. Why was Night Fox needed? Ocean’s team could have gotten the money through another risky heist without his aid. Also, Catherine as a part of their team with some unique ability would have been more interesting rather than as an officer. Lastly, we were cheated out of a daring, indigenous robbery that I believed was a trademark of Ocean’s eleven.
But that doesn’t mean that the movie was without its moments. The scene where Daniel wants to know whether does he really look like fifty or when Tess sees Bruce Willis and is expected to behave like his friend rather than an overawed fan. The lead stars enjoy the kind of male camaraderie that only equals can share. Also, the background score is racy and foot tapping.
Ocean’s twelve can be digested, if it only weren’t for the narrative hiccups.