Monday, May 07, 2007

Time to Retire, Mr. Ocean.

No not you, Mr. Soderberg. I'm sure you'll continue to make fine films. Just stop making sequels to your version of Ocean's Eleven.

When it comes to movies, I always try to "see good in bad". I saw Soderberg's Ocean's Twelve not long ago, and unfortunately, I didn't see much good. In this age of sequels, I can't blame Warner Bros. for wanting a sequel to 2001's hit. Its too bad they were walking straight in to a trap... set by themselves! Lets compare the two movies:
  • Eleven: takes place in Vegas.
  • Twelve: takes place in Europe.
For a "fun", caper movie, how can you top Vegas in terms of location? Different European venues just can't compare with the original Sin City.
  • Eleven: introduces a slew of funny, interesting, and/or charismatic characters.
  • Twelve: introduces maybe one or two new characters who aren't that interesting.
Again, its hard to win here. The novelty is gone, and it is difficult to focus on the same old characters again. One reason why you lose interest, is that there are too many people to keep track of. Unlike Eleven, they were all bright and shiny new, so the viewer's short attention span was able to stay happy.
  • Eleven: focused plot and storyline.
  • Twelve: storyline is confusing and boring.
You really have to watch it to understand what I'm saying here. The focus in Eleven was rob Benedict's casinos, with the subplot of Danny Ocean winning his wife back: pretty clear cut. Twelve has the gang trying to get enough money to pay back Benedict, end up doing odd jobs that don't pay up, and as it turns out there's a rival master thief behind it all toying with them just for fun. Even the big payoff twist in the end was very ho-hum. Well, it is possible that by then I no longer cared enough to pay attention.

Unfortunately, Ocean's Twelve was nearly a complete waste of time. I hear that they are indeed making another sequel, Ocean's Thirteen. This one is supposed to be back in Vegas. Maybe they'll get it right this time.

4 comments:

ahsir said...

I actually enjoy ocean 12 very much. Cos the dailogue is very nicely done. IThe Plot is a bit of a strench, but the fun was the chem between Danny and others.
I think I am going to Watch Ocean's 13 ( yes, 13!)

Dude, We should Watch Spiderman 3 man, When you'll have time??

dra said...

hmm.. I do appreciate ocean 12 for choosing to shoot in front of that chinese restaurant in amsterdam*, which reminds me of another movie young and dangerous 3

*that's where "chan ho nam" in young and dangerous jumped into the canal like an olympic swimmer ( with airtime... ) trying to escape from the bullets.

Justin said...

Re: ahsir

I thought the dialogue was boring compared to Eleven. I still remember lines from Eleven, but I can't recall any from Twelve. I remember the nice sights and scenes, and that weird French thief dancing to weird music through IR laser beams.

Re: kendra

THAT I definitely don't remember! Though I vaguely remember Ekin pulling some sort of chain belt from his waist to fight in Y&D part I. I thought at the time, "how come he's the only guy who gets a weapon?".

knockoutgirl said...

Ocean's 12 is one of my least favorite (or most disliked) films of all time. The worst part is Julia Roberts as "someone who looks like Julia Roberts"! Way to take the audience out of the non-plot.