Saturday, December 11, 2004

Jake's Movie Reviews

Last night Abby and I went to see Ocean's 12 (you can check out the trailer here). I must admit, following the success of Ocean's 11, I was skeptical as to whether Soderbergh would be able to pull off a sequel of commensurate splendor. Yet, I was also quite hopeful that this all-star cast would be able to pull off another heist with the same facility. Abby greatly enjoyed the film, but I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, its not that the film is bad when viewed in isolation from its prequal. However, I wanted the film to impress me by employing the same cast to make another robbery with the same finger-snapping coolness as the first film. If that is what you are hoping to see, I would advise against seeing this film at the theater--wait for the video.

One of the greatest models for all mystery-type films to follow was set by Scooby Doo. In every episode of Scooby Doo they were able to baffle me because the villain was the person you least expected. It was always the friendly janitor or amicable busdriver who turned out to be the evil ghost or werewolf. But, the ruse is always someone/something that you have seen before. Soderbergh seems to have forgotten this essential ingredient in his sequal. I don't want to give too much away, in case you want to throw caution to the wind and see the film anyway. So let it suffice to say that the ending did not follow the Scooby Doo model.

Ocean's 11 was great because in one complicated sequence of events they 1) stole the money, 2) tricked the bad guy, 3) won the girl, and 4) didn't get caught. In Ocean's 12 this is accomplished in three or four sloppy steps. How disappointing. Jake gives this film:

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