Ocean's Thirteen

Everyone is back (except for Julia) in the third outing of "Ocean's" stories. "Thirteen" comes in at a much brisker and lighter pace than "Twelve" did, which makes this to be a very enjoyable experience.

Once again the setting is Las Vegas. The boys come back in defense of Reuben (Elliott Gould), who has been double-crossed by slimy casino owner Willy Banks (Al Pacino). Seeing this as harming one of their own, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his gang (including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle) devise a way for Reuben to get his money back while also doing even more damage to Banks' maniacal ego.

Unlike previous "Ocean's" movies, the entire plan is laid out near the very beginning. We see exactly how they will bring Banks down. What unfolds throughout the movie, then, is the comedy of each roadblock they run into and how they overcome these challenges. These range from Scott Caan and Casey Affleck leading a strike at a Mexican dice-making factory, to the purchase of the drill that dug the Chunnel. This also creates an unlikely partnership with their previous nemesis Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia).

The story moves right along without slowing down. Each character has his moment in the spotlight, and the overall movie is a lot less convoluted than "Twelve" was. While not as fresh as the original, seeing "Thirteen" was not an unlucky night in the casino – I mean theater. I'd even bet on it again and give it an A-.

"Ocean's Thirteen" is rated PG-13 with a running time of 113 minutes.