OCEAN'S 13

There really is no point in this sequel, other than to make loads of money, which it did.

Having tried something a bit different with 'Ocean's 12' Soderbergh reverts to Plan A, except the heist here is scarcely worthy of the name, and without Julia Roberts or Catherine Zeta-Jones there's no romance either.  Which leaves us with Clooney and Pitt et al exposed, having nothing much in the way of substance or characterisation to fall back on. 

I love a good heist movie, and there was pleasure in the first film in seeing the components of the heist coming together, plus the denouement when Garcia's relationship with Roberts is skewered.

Replicating any of that was always going to be a tall order, but the writers don't even try. There's so little at stake - are we really supposed to care about Reuben, and whether Pacino's character gets his comeuppance? 

Most of the efforts at comedy fall flat, for example the goings-on in the Mexican factory. 

There's only one female character of note, played by Ellen Barkin, and the way her character is treated towards the end of the film is beyond embarrassing.

Soderbergh has great fun with the visuals, which are stunning at times, especially those where he uses swirling reds and yellows to great effect.  But otherwise he doesn't seem interested in building any tension, but I guess you can't blame him given the thinness of the story.

Nowhere near as much fun as it should be.

RATING: x Find Something Better To Do