Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon
‘A Captivating Classic’
Not many actors in Hollywood have created a legacy as strong as George Clooney. Following his rise to stardom during the 1990’s, Clooney has become one of the finest actors in the film industry. With his charming personality, sharp sense of humour and great style, Clooney has earned a big fan following. Clooney’s strength as an actor is his versatility. Through his ability to portray a wide range of characters, Clooney has become an iconic movie-star in the world of entertainment today. A movie-star has an enduring appeal, he’s become one of those special actors about whom audiences always strongly feel.
I’m a huge fan of George Clooney and admire all the movies that he has made throughout his illustrious career. However, my favourite film he has made remains “Ocean’s 11”. Steven Soderbergh’s movie is a remarkable crime drama capturing a casino robbery. A strong remake of a classic 1960’s heist movie, it has stood the test of time as a classic. Boasting phenomenal production, sharp storytelling and engrossing acting, it’s a magnificent heist masterpiece. At the centre of it all is an exceptional performance by George Clooney, who embodies the personality of a thief committing casino robberies. Ultimately, the film delivers a universal message that will resonate with everyone that has collaborated in teams to achieve goals at an early age. A captivating heist classic, it’s a magnificent movie which is definitely worth watching.
Based on the 1960’s classic, “Ocean’s 11” tells the story of a team of thieves organizing a casino robbery. George Clooney plays Danny Ocean, a notorious thief that has gotten out of prison. Instead of going back to normal life, Ocean plans a strong casino robbery. Assisted by his longtime friend Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), Ocean organizes a meticulous robbery of three celebrated Las Vegas casinos. Excited by the prospect of the heist, Ocean is confident he can pull it off successfully. However, things get complicated when Danny realizes that there will be consequences to robberies that are committed. Facing anxiety, Danny questions whether he can pull off heists without being caught by the police authorities.
Steven Soderbergh is a newcomer to the heist genre. Before he had directed “Ocean’s 11”, Soderbergh had never made a heist film before. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt remaking a classic 1960’s heist movie, but he succeeded tremendously. Visually, the film is a feast for the eyes as breathtaking as heists that thieves organize. Using spellbinding cinematography, Soderbergh captures a team pulling off a meticulous casino robbery. Evoking the original “Ocean’s 11”, Soderbergh employs cross-cutting capturing a team collaborating to commit a robbery that’s taxing. Cross-cutting elevates the team organization scene. During this memorable scene, Danny Ocean seeks to assemble a strong team of con artists pulling off huge robberies. Using breathtaking visuals, Soderbergh creates a film about casinos that’s engaging.
Another admirable aspect of “Ocean’s 11” that deserves appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, the movie is extremely well-made. Soderbergh’s decision to shoot the film in real Las Vegas casinos is risky but it works tremendously. For instance, the production of the casino elevates the heist scene. During this memorable scene, Danny Ocean and his team of 11 associates rob a prestigious vault of a luxurious casino. One appreciates production-design that brings stunning casinos to life in styles which recall Martin Scorsese’s “Casino”. Like the prestigious casinos controlled by Ace, the casinos become a powerful setting where thieves have obstacles to face. Through these real-life casino locales, Soderbergh crafts a powerful heist film which viewers can relate to. Furthermore, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the movie an intense and suspenseful atmosphere. Through phenomenal production-design, Soderbergh creates gorgeous casinos that shine.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Ocean’s 11” is a classic which is compelling. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses symbolism to capture the long-lasting relationships between a team pulling off casino heists. Throughout the movie, the casino becomes a strong symbol of the bonds between a team of robbers pulling off heists. For instance, the symbolism of the casino elevates the robbery scene. During this unforgettable scene, Danny Ocean and his team bond after pulling off the heist by seeing a fountain. One admires clever symbolism capturing bonds between a team pulling off heists. Through this clever use of symbolism, Soderbergh creates a strong team of thieves that viewers can easily relate to. Symbolism is a complicated technique to use in movies. As Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” franchise demonstrated, symbolism elevates fantasy literary adaptations. As “The Shawshank Redemption” suggested clearly, symbolism elevates classic prison dramas. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Through a spectacular screenplay, Soderbergh captures the long-lasting beauty of Las Vegas casinos today.
One appreciates astonishing performances. In a star-studded ensemble, every actors gets a chance to shine.
George Clooney delivers one of his finest career performances as Danny Ocean. Clooney first earned appreciation playing romantic heroes in the 1990’s. With “Ocean’s 11”, however, the actor took on his first ever heist role. It’s challenging to embody the personality of a commemorated thief organizing meticulous casino robberies but he succeeds. With riveting expressions, he captures the anger, determination and savvy personality of a thief pulling off a heist which attracts police authorities. It’s a phenomenal performance that launched the prosperous career of one of the greatest movie-stars working in the film industry today.
The supporting cast is extraordinary and also worthy of appreciation. Brad Pitt is powerful, bringing humanity to Danny’s close friend that assisted him committing a complicated casino robbery. Julia Roberts is remarkable, capturing the mischievous personality of Danny’s ex-wife which becomes suspicious of her husband’s heists attracting police authorities. Lastly, Andy Garcia merits appreciation. As an intimidating casino manager, her brings an air of menace to the movie.
Finally, “Ocean’s 11” would achieve everyone’s appreciation for capturing casino heists which attract media attention. Unlike most movies about heists, it tackles universal themes everyone will relate to. It conveys powerful themes of identity, social class and teamwork. The film delivers a powerful message that would engage everyone that has been impacted by teamwork from an early age. Viewers aren’t required to be fans of casinos to appreciate the movie. Consequently, “Ocean’s 11” is one of those rare movies everyone will adore.
Fans of George Clooney will definitely enjoy “Ocean’s 11” and so will movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment. A captivating heist classic, it celebrates the legacy of a movie-star skilled at playing dramatic roles that are iconic.
Nearly 30 years following the release of an iconic film about a team of thieves pulling off robberies in a prestigious Las Vegas casino, it’s a powerful reminder of an actor who achieved fame several years ago that has never lost his abilities to portray compelling characters that blow away audiences whose memorable movies have stood the test of time as classics by giving audiences the motivation to follow their dreams with a bright glow.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 