Anthony's Film Review - Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Ocean's Eleven is simply pure fun in the high-stakes world of Las Vegas...

George Clooney leads a large mostly all-star cast in this fun and clever heist movie. He plays Danny Ocean, a thief just released from a four-year prison sentence. He is the kind of guy who cannot be reformed. To him, freedom after time in the joint is nothing more than another opportunity to plot another caper, experience the thrill, and score big. Maybe that's why he is such a likable character. As long as the bravado is there, there's no limit to the rules he may break.

To help carry out his scheme, Ocean gathers people with the necessary skills. From cities that include Los Angeles, San Diego, and Chicago, he picks out Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, and several others. They provide the expertise in electrical wiring, acrobatics, bomb construction, and other trades that play a vital role in the plot. And, of course, teamwork is absolutely necessary, and Ocean does make sure they all work as one.

The plot, by the way, involves the impossible. I should say "nearly impossible" since Ocean doesn't care. He announces to his gang that they will all strike three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously by raiding their common underground vault. He details the numerous security measures that line the path to the vault. Although he still goes for it, Ocean is not foolish. He warns everyone that this is extremely dangerous, but the payoff is huge. The reward for each person is $150 million divided by 11.

From there, the scheme is carried out. Because many steps are involved, the operation spans a large amount of time and therefore takes up much of the middle of the film. The pacing, however, is not too slow. You will see each step executed and understand its purpose in relation to the ultimate goal. While this is happening, two characters keep a careful eye after Danny Ocean: the casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) and Ocean's ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts).

Ocean's Eleven is nothing more than a fun caper to watch. There's no real surprise about the motive of the heist or the end results. The only mystery is how it's carried out. It captures enough interest to make the movie worth watching. Without it, you could easily skip this movie and give it far less than eleven stars. For me, I enjoyed it enough to give it a generous 8 out of 10 stars.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Ocean's Eleven, visit the Internet Movie Database.