Debbie Ocean gathers an all-female crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City's yearly Met Gala. Read more …
Plot-wise Ocean’s 8 cleaves closely to the tenets of Heist Movie Lore but does little to enliven or tweak the formula. It lacks the jazzy swagger of Soderbergh’s trio but delivers a fun, likeable romp built on the charm and charisma of its cast.
Full of charismatic performances but low on tension, this glitzy haute-couture heist adds female-centred fun to your favourite felon franchise.
Where were the climactic crises and heroic solutions? Where were the big moments where it all goes wrong and then right in unexpected ways? Where were the flashbacks disclosing that we, the audience, have been played? Where, in fact, was the dramatic interest? Nowhere. It just blandly settles on a note of sentimental self-congratulation and unruffled triumph. A group-hug of larceny-lite.
Ocean’s 8 is intended as lighthearted escapism, but a little more satirical Ab Fab-style humour would surely have helped.
A poorly directed and written blow-out. This cast deserved better.
Sure, as a caper movie it’s undeniably fun and it gets away with a lot thanks to the nature of the genre, but with this cast and a more exciting director it could have got away with a whole lot more than ditching George Clooney.
Serious star power and slick direction can’t make up for an ensemble cast’s failure to gel.
Pleasing, all-female spin-off that features an impressive ensemble alongside the occasional misstep.
Sure, as a caper movie it’s undeniably fun and it gets away with a lot thanks to the nature of the genre, but with this cast and a more exciting director it could have got away with a whole lot more than ditching George Clooney.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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