It comes as something of a relief to find that Ocean's 13 eases itself back to the charm and suave, sophisticated swagger that underpinned the first in what's become a trilogy of capers. And for those who endured the self-indulgent mess that was Ocean's 12, this latest and final entry in the franchise is a very welcome treat, proving very much that lessons were learnt. Dropping Catherine Zeta Jones and Julia Roberts from the cast list, but signing up the smaller matter of Al Pacino instead, the rest of the players remain broadly intact. So it's George Clooney's Danny Ocean who leads the team of cons, supported by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle and Carl Reiner. And it's the easy chemistry between these and the rest of the team that underpin what makes Ocean's 13 such an enjoyable ride.
The plot pits Ocean and his gang against Al Pacino's ruthless casino boss, and while the script perhaps lacks the cleverness and dense plotting that worked so well in the first adventure, it still leaves plenty of room for outright entertainment.
The end result is an easy-to-enjoy caper, that's not the equal of Ocean's 11, yet far superior to Ocean's 12. And considering it was released in the midst of a summer where threequels generally weren't too well received, Ocean's 13 arrives in fine shape, and rounds off the trilogy with real panache. --Jon Foster