Ocean’s 8 : Movie Review

Ocean’s 8: A must watch for chicks who love flicks.

                  (Guys can watch too)

Ocean’s 8 is a movie that I have been waiting for all summer, for two reasons.

One: I am a fan of the Ocean’s movies, having seen them all at least twice.

Two: It promised a star studded cast with Amazons like Sandra Bullock, Kate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonheim Carter and Rihanna.

The movie begins with Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) Danny Ocean’s sister, being released from prison.

Yes, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is dead. I thought he would live forever in all sequels forevermore like Captain Jack Sparrow. But I digress…..

Debbie has been planning the greatest jewelry heist for the five plus years that she has spent in the slammer. It is all very well thought out. She says that she even got herself thrown into solitary confinement for ‘peace and quiet’ for contemplation.

Like the earlier movies, she then goes around recruiting team members. Like the earlier movies, they all decline at first but then willingly, even enthusiastically, hop on the band wagon. Unlike the earlier movies, the team she picks is all female, or so we think. The movie moves a little slowly at first but then picks up pace once everyone is on board.

Most of the action revolves around Debbie and gal pal Lou (Kate Blanchett). However, Anne Hathaway cast as glamour girl Daphne, is pivotal to the story although she is not part of the team. The “glam factor” of Ms Hathaway is a little disappointing, however; we have seen her looking far prettier in other movies.

The movie gives you several glimpses of technology, the most spectacular being the 3D printing of the replica of the ‘Taissont’ diamond necklace (a la Mission Impossible). It makes use of CCTV footage to help create alibis for the thieves. My favourite scenes, however, are the shots of Cartier’s jewelry.

Ocean’s 8 is the latest installment of Hollywood’s longstanding love affair with thieves and robbers. Hollywood loves to glamourize cleverly planned heists. Just a few examples:

• The Thomas Crown Affair (1968 Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway), (1999 Pierce Brosnan, Renee Russo)
• The Italian Job (1969 Michael Caine, Benny Hill), (2003 Donald Sutherland,Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham)
• Entrapment (Sean Connery, Katherine Zeta Jones)
• Flawless (Michael Caine, Demi Moore)
• The Best Offer (Donald Sutherland, Geoffery Rush)

Paradoxically, Hollywood does not approve of thieves robbing or swindling each other. I could enumerate at least a dozen movies where this happens, but I don’t want this to get tedious. Like her brother Danny, Debbie is not content with pulling off a jewel theft, she also wants revenge from a man who conned her into her prison sentence.

Ocean’s 8, is a highly entertaining movie with glamorous settings and fabulous gowns at the Met Gala.(I told you it’s the ultimate chick flick). The denouement is a bit of a surprise with an ending within an ending. But then you do expect that kind of twist in an Ocean’s movie. Director Gary Ross manages to tie together any loose ends, with a brief reference to the original movies.

With a rating of PG 13, and the Genre label of Action, Adventure, Comedy, it can be safely enjoyed by a family with older kids. Although IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes give it a rating of 3 or 3.5 stars out of 5, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Disclaimer:

1. This review contains no spoilers. If you knew the ending already, then your best friend or co-worker told you.
2. This is the first movie review I have ever written so please don’t mind if it gets too wordy in places or if I keep digressing.