Ocean's Thirteen (www.the-usher.com)

"Let's go boys"

When Reuben Tishkoff (Gould) is swindled out of his entire fortune by Vegas's newest casino owner Willie Banks (Pacino), Danny Ocean (Clooney) and the rest of the original eleven come together to get it all back, with interest. The problem is that his hotel and casino, The Bank, is one of the most technically advanced building in the world with a security system that is almost impossible to beat and for Danny, Rusty (Pitt) and the rest of the boy, almost means they just need a better plan and a little more financial muscle but that will asking an old adversary to get involved.

After heading to Europe in 'Ocean's Twelve', Danny Rusty and the boys return to the scene of their first heist but can the bright lights of Las Vegas re-ignite the magic?

Back in 2001 Steven Soderbergh's 'Ocean's Eleven' was classed as one of the best remakes ever to grace the cinema screen and rightly so but in 2004 the sequel, 'Ocean's Twelve' followed and the gang seemed to have lost their way. The sequel just wasn't as good as the first movie. While it was fun in parts, the film became an excuse for Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney and their friends to get together and have a bit of a laugh but they forgot about the one thing that made the first movie such a hit and that was the story.

The good news is that those of you with any trepidation about going to see the third film in the franchise, your fears are unfounded as this is a real return to form. Returning to Vegas is the key as Danny, Rusty and the team attempt a job for revenge and to get even with the man who crossed one of the original eleven, Rueben. While they only might be stealing from one hotel this time around, the team really have their work cut out for them if they are going to take the house for five hundred million dollars and steal the items to precious to owner, Willie Banks. The Bank is the newest and most grand hotel on the strip but the problem is that it is the most advanced and secure that Danny or any of the team has ever seen. This means a more audacious plan is needed.

The movie sees the return of the entire eleven from the first movie. You can tell that George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon love playing Danny, Rusty and Linus and the joy they have working together is evident throughout. The comedy between the trio is exceptional, with one-liners and put downs following throughout, especially towards Matt Damon's Linus. The rest of the gang Elliott Gould, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison and Shaobo Qin also have a good time as well, with each of them having their time in the limelight. Andy Garcia makes a return as Terry Benedict and there is another familiar face that fans will be excited to see. The newcomers also do well with Ellen Barkin looking great as Willie Banks assistant who succumbs to Linus's charms, with a little help from a love potion and the always-amazing Al Pacino hamming it up as the newest hotel owner in Vegas. Fans might be disappointed with Catherine Zeta Jones and Julia Robert's absence from the movie but the scriptwriters use this as comedic fodder for Danny and Rusty.

While it still might not pack the same punch as the first movie, 'Ocean's Thirteen' is still a quality piece of entertainment. When a quality ensemble of big name actors get together like this you have to take notice and even though the second movie wasn't the greatest, the third movie is a real return to form and one that will steal you away for its entire duration.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic with Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES

Vegas: The Opulent Illusion (22.47 mins)
This featurette looks into the history of Las Vegas, from its inception by known gangster Bugsy Seagal, through its transformation in 1989 and onto the ever-changing look of the strip that pushes the city of sin in modern times. This is a fascinating insight into the development of Las Vegas and is a good accompaniment to the movie.

Jerry Weintraub's walk and talk (2.25 mins)
The producer of all three Ocean's adventures takes you on a guided tour of the Bank Casino set.

Additional Scenes (4.35 mins)
Watch three deleted or extended scenes that show more of the Factory and resturant sequences, the boys talking about relationships, more of Eddie Izzard and a Desert meeting. These scenes suffer from the lack of a commentary track or introduction to reveal why they were removed.

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'Ocean's 13' is not as comprehensive as it could have been. While the 'Vegas' featurette is very good, the lack of a commentary track or interviews with the all star cast could disappoint fans of the series.

DVD

Ocean's Eleven

Ocean's Twelve

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2007