Ocean's 8

Someone stole my ten bucks.

In a year of super hero and Star Wars burnout, it couldn’t be more timely to bring back a fast-paced heist movie — and it couldn’t be more timely to reshape everyone’s favorite heist franchise with an all-actress cast. 

That’s right, Ocean’s 11 is now Ocean’s 8 — although it’s really kind of a six that never really goes to eleven.

The film's ensemble cast includes Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina and Elliot Gould, who resumes his franchise role. It’s a delight to see all of these on screen, and for a few minutes it’s fun to see Bullock swipe some luxury products in a realistic way. However, the big hustle is a huge, unrealistic one, which leads to a pretty dumb hour and a half to follow.

Director Gary Ross (Hunger Games, Sea Biscuit, Pleasantville, Big) replaced the swagger and cocktail energy of the Soderbergh's Vegasy films with the pleasant world of NYC fashion and art, perhaps intended as a Sex & The City take on the franchise. Some of the fashion onscreen is a feast for the eyes, but much of it is forced. There’s literally of montage of uninspired jewelry photos. Yes, still photos.

There's never much at stake in this plot. While it is fun enough to watch the on-screen talent go through the motions for a Friday night at the movies, you can’t help but wonder if each of them could have spent time on something that you wouldn’t forget the second you walk out of the theater.

Sort of seems like a crime, right?

In a nutshell: A female-cast sequel to the boozy Ocean’s films should have served up bubbly champagne, but it delivers an OK glass of wine.

Award potential: None.
 
The ten buck review: Not worth ten bucks.