Director Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s movies are some of the best heist films ever made. The first movie in his trilogy is based on the old Rat Pack film of the 1960s. And the last Ocean’s film to be made, Ocean’s 8, was a spin-off from Soderbergh’s films, directed by Gary Ross. So, without further ado, let’s rank the five Ocean’s movies.
Ocean’s 8 (2018)
More all-female star casts are needed in movies. And Ocean’s 8 certainly delivers an ensemble cast of some of the biggest female stars in Hollywood, including Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, and Rihanna.
However, the movie fails to live up to the greatness of Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy. The movie received a lackluster response from critics and audiences. As for the plot, it is kind of exactly what you would expect for a fourth film in the modern series of Ocean’s movies.
It follows Danny Ocean’s younger sister Debbie, a newly paroled con artist who convinces a group of women to join her in a new heist. This time, casino funds are not the target of the heist. Instead, the team plans to steal a $150 million Cartier necklace.
Ocean’s 11 (1960)
It is rare for a remake to be better than the original, but the 2001 version of Ocean’s 11 was remarkably better than the 1960 movie of the same name. That is largely due to it resembling little of the original film that starred five members of the Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop.
Having said that, the 1960 movie is much better than its reputation deserves. Sinatra and his pals filmed the picture when they had time off from their Las Vegas performances, which perhaps is why the film feels so disjointed. At least it is better than Ocean’s 8.
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Ocean’s Twelve (2004)
The second film in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy is certainly brave for not simply repeating the plot and structure of Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven. But unfortunately, the plot is convoluted and does not compare well to the 2001 movie. There are some great moments in Ocean’s Twelve, though, such as the Night Fox villain who competes with Danny Ocean for the best thief on the planet.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, playing Brad Pitt’s character’s love interest, is also a welcome new addition to the cast. The plot sees Danny Ocean, played by George Clooney, and his team traveling to Europe to pull off a couple of near-impossible heists to pay back the money they stole from Terry Benedict in the first film of the trilogy.
Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
After their sojourn to Europe in Ocean’s Twelve, Danny Ocean and his crew return to Las Vegas for the final film in Soderbergh’s trilogy. This time, the gang’s task is to take down a new enemy, Willy Bank, who is played by the great Al Pacino.
Ocean’s team has two objectives. Firstly, they want to stop Bank from winning the prestigious Five Diamond Award, which Bank previously won for all of his other hotels. Secondly, the gang needs to rig all of Bank’s casino games so that they pay out millions of dollars in winnings. Ocean’s Thirteen is a return to form, and lots of the characters from the previous two movies return.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Just released from prison, Danny Ocean teams up with his old friend Rusty Ryan, played by Brad Pitt, to rob not one but three casinos in Las Vegas. They recruit some of the best criminals in the business to achieve the feat of stealing $160 million from Terry Benedict, who is the lover of Danny Ocean’s ex-wife Tess, superbly played by Julia Roberts.
The ensemble cast, which includes Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and Don Cheadle, works brilliantly together. But it is the fantastic script and fast-moving plot of this thrilling film that makes it really stand out. Ocean’s Eleven resembles little of the original 1960 film, and that is a good thing. The 2001 movie was a huge box office success. It grossed over $450 million, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of the year.