Ocean's Thirteen

Not as annoyingly self-indulgent as its immediate predecessor, this second sequel to Ocean's Eleven returns the action to Las Vegas. Readying his flashy new casino for its highly touted opening, flamboyant and ruthless Willy Bank (Al Pacino) freezes out one of his original partners, Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), who then suffers a life-threatening heart attack as a result of stress. Since Reuben is one of his original Eleven, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) reunites his criminal crew to seek revenge on Bank by sabotaging the tycoon's new venture. Needless to say, the casino is equipped with a foolproof state-of-the-art security system that challenges Danny's ingenious crew. As before, a disproportionate chunk of footage is allotted to the top three stars—Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon—who contribute their customary breezy performances. Pacino, meanwhile, is a fine and formidable adversary, chewing up the scenery as often as director Steven Soderbergh permits. Another welcome addition to the cast is Ellen Barkin, absent from the big screen for far too long but quite effective as Bank's efficient second-in-command. Ocean's Thirteen never aspires to be anything but lighthearted entertainment, and succeeds at being just that. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include the 23-minute location featurette “Vegas: An Opulent Illusion,” five minutes of additional scenes, a “Jerry Weintraub Walk and Talk” casino tour with the producer (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a fun film.] (E. Hulse)