Synopsis: Several years after the smooth and audacious heist perpetrated in Ocean's Eleven (2001) the crack team are drawn together again, plus one, to save their lives by returning Terry Benedict's money. Oh yeah, plus interest...
Welcome back George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia, Elliot Gould, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Carl Reiner, Shaobo Qin, Eddie Jemison and hello Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vincent Cassel (with nods to Robbie Coltrane, Albert Finney, Bruce Willis and Jeroen Krabbé).
This sequel is actually truer to Steven Soderbergh's style than its precursor. Soderbergh returns to greater experimentation with time frames and camera work, creating more of the feel of Full Frontal, the film he made after Ocean's 11. At the same time, Ocean's 12 is less heist (even though there are several heists instead of one) and more talk, as the robberies take a back seat to the characters' interactions. Some people will be disappointed and even confused by Soderbergh's less than sure-footed handling of the multi-faceted plot and interrelationships. He did it better in films like Traffic, but Ocean's 12 still hangs together well.
The characters' interplay and dialogue are what the film has going for it. It is funny, easy-going, self-effacing and clever. Soderbergh likes to see what he can get away with but doesn't insult or patronise his audience. This is the kind of sequel where the director and actors relax, anticipating that the audience will be a little indulgent with old friends. If you're prepared for some fun, you'll be highly entertained but if you are expecting a tightly plotted genre-piece you may feel let down.