Ocean's Eleven Reviews

I already saw this movie but since it was a while back, I was quite eager to check it out again. Back then, after this movie was released, it became very popular very quickly and, for a couple of years, I would hear on a regular basis that this movie was one of the best ever made. Of course, a decade later and following a couple of disappointing sequels, his reputation has settled down quite a bit and it has eventually become what it has actually always been : an entertaining commercial feature but not much more than that. I mean, sure, it was a well made and fun heist feature with an insane all-star cast (George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Carl Reiner, Topher Grace, Joshua Jackson, Holly Marie Combs) but, at the end of the day, the whole thing was actually pretty shallow. Of course, Soderbergh and his buddies never intended to make something deep whatsoever so that’s all fine but we shouldn’t pretend that it is anything else. Coming back to Soderbergh, since then the guy has retired and during his very ecletic career, this movie was by far his biggest box-office success. To conclude, even though I think it is slightly overrated, it is still a fun movie and it is definitely worth  a look, especially if you like the genre.

'Ocean's Eleven is a good movie with good plotting, acting from George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon and direction. The crime comedy is entertaining and the relationship between Danny (George Clooney) and Tess (Julia Roberts) is really good! Worth watching!

Ocean's Eleven is not trying to be a masterpiece. I greatly appreciate this about Ocean's Eleven. It's not trying to be perfect (because it clearly isn't). It's only goal is to provide a very entertaining two hours, in which it succeeds and excels at.

Danny Ocean has just gotten out of prison, and has no intentions of returning to society as a model citizen. Rather, he plans a heist to rob three of Vegas' biggest casinos and loot over 150 million dollars. Of course, this job is too big to do alone. Ocean get's 10 other recruits, for a total of eleven people, making this genius heist.

Ocean's Eleven would like to convince you that there's an emotional core to the film. In fact, there is, in the form of Ocean's ex-wife Tess, whom he is trying to win back. Alas, this romance is written with a minimal of elegance, and creates problems for the film's pacing. Ocean's Eleven is at it's best when ignoring the romantic aspect of the film, and focuses on entertaining.

Despite the fact that Ocean's Eleven is, in fact, a heist movie, the action is not what makes Ocean's Eleven such an entertaining film. It's the characters, whom are funny, developed, and best of all; memorable. Ocean's Eleven has a huge assembly of wonderfully entertaining characters who really make the movie.

George Clooney plays Danny Ocean who we sympathize with, and he gets much of the one-liners. Brad Pitt portrays Rusty Ryan, who may strike one as less humorous than the rest of the cast. Matt Damon plays a nervous wannabe named Linus Caldwell, and Julia Roberts acts as Tess- Ocean's ex. The more humorous characters, Saul, Basher and Reuben (the arguable standout that should've been in more scenes) are played by Carl Reiner, Don Cheadle and Elliott Gould respectively.

Constant attempts at "quotable" lines are made, and while most of them work, a decent amount fall flat. Some are so bad you may wince. Though it's unlikely you'll remember too many of the bad lines when there are so many memorable ones. You're likely to have a couple favorites by the end of the film.

Similarly to Ocean's Eleven's attempt at romance, this film also tries to convince us that this is an intelligent film. This is by no means a smart movie. Nor is it a dumb one. While it's general ignorance to things like common logic may irritate some, this is still far more intelligent than most popcorn flicks.

The score, by David Holmes is not poor, by any means. It's just a little generic. It has a basic jazz feel without doing anything truly unique. The emphasis on electronic sounds was also irritating. It works well for the movie overall, but it's extremely forgettable. Also, the music played at the end is truly atrocious, mostly because it doesn't match the film at all. A clunky piano piece and a sudden change to orchestra made the ending feel incredibly dramatic, like the conclusion to a masterpiece. Ocean's Eleven is not a masterpiece, and the music is almost laughably out of place at the end.

Flaws aside, Ocean's Eleven is marvelously entertaining and incredibly fun. Not everything works, but it's such a fun ride you'll hardly care. A true winner, if far from perfection.

While the 1960 "Ocean's Eleven" was little more than an excuse for Frank Sinatra and his rat pack buddies to hang out together in Vegas (like they really needed an excuse to party), Steven Soderbergh's update turns this second-rate movie into cinema gold.

Admittedly, no amount of tinkering can make the original's flimsy heist plot seem substantial, but then that's the point - this film isn't trying to be great art, just damn fine entertainment.

A group of 11 heist experts plan to rip off three Las Vegas casinos owned by Terry Benedict (Garcia), in one evening. Headed by Danny Ocean (Clooney), with the assorted talents of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and others, the gang is aiming for the haul of the century. But what does the fact that Danny's ex-wife (Roberts) is now Benedict's girlfriend have to do with the score?

The professionalism displayed here is a joy to watch; Clooney's matinee idol turn, Pitt's understated co-star role - a quirky performance where he eats his way through virtually every scene - and the supporting talents of Garcia, Damon, and Elliot Gould are priceless. There's only two bum notes in the form of Don Cheadle's truly awful (and totally unnecessary) British accent, and Julia Roberts' underperformed love interest.

Soderbergh matches his actors by crafting one of the slickest blockbusters in years, throwing in lots of fancy moves, eye-catching shots (a stunning aerial approach across the water to Atlantic City), and the perfect pace. How often do you get to see a talented film maker work in such a playful manner, without ever making a mistake?

Unabashed Hollywood entertainment, "Ocean's Eleven" raises the benchmark for all future blockbusters and is guaranteed to put a grin on your face from ear to ear.

BBC

This has to be my favorite heist,of the Oceans movies. It kept me entertained the whole time

First, I have to admit that I haven't seen the original (but want to). This is one of my favorite in the heist genre, and it's got a little of everything. It's a big job, there's a lot of planning, and a great twist to it. Ahh, Vegas...