Ocean's 8 is the sequel/reboot/remake of Steven Soderbergh's hit caper Ocean's 11, itself a semi-remake of the 1960 film by the same name. Except this time, the cast of thieves are all women. It's the newest blockbuster trend a la 2016's Ghostbuster's sequel/reboot/remake: a vanity film for women.
While the gender politics of this movie can get particularly sticky, there are certain elements of the movie that aren't as divisive. For one, the movie stars a cavalcade of fantastic actresses but is still directed by, to put it bluntly, a mediocre male director. The director is Gary Ross, who I had to look up to even gain a context of his prior directorial efforts. News flash: it's not that impressive.
Indeed, this movie looks and feels wholly forgettable, as if Ross is doing his best Soderbergh impression but never capturing the wit that underpinned Soderbergh's simplicity. It's copied the sheet music but hasn't mastered the notes. More than once, Ross employs Soderbergh's more charming touches from the Ocean's trilogy - the musical transitions to a Sinatra-esque score, a duo of characters coolly finishing each other's sentences, the swipe edits - but somehow always feels more empty than it should. This isn't paying homage to Soderbergh; this is slavish duplication.
If this is truly meant to be a movie for and by women, why hire the unequivocally uninspiring director of Seabiscuit and The Hunger Games? Why not hire a female director who could put her own stamp on a big, flashy summer blockbuster full of fun characters? Much has been made of the lack of female voices in Hollywood, but I fear that message gets diluted to only apply to on-screen talent. If the ultimate curator of the film is still a white male, how could the final product ever transcend all the other similar films that have come before it?
Another issue with the film lies in its central heist. I understand these caper films are largely meant as fluffy larks - the plot mechanics don't matter as much as all the fun these characters are having. In this sense, Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway et al. are clearly having a blast. But what made Ocean's 11 so fun was not solely because George Clooney exchanged witty banter with Brad Pitt; it's because its central story contained a genuine sense of intrigue and fun. Andy Garcia was a sleazy and intimidating villain; there is no such opposition in this movie. Soderbergh laid out tiny breadcrumbs that didn't register until repeat viewings; this movie has no such subtlety.
It might be unfair to continually compare this movie to Soderbergh's, except that the film so blatantly acknowledges cameos (or doesn't acknowledge) from Soderbergh's movies and thereby, repeatedly reminds us of them. Even op-ed pieces, while arguing for the virtues of the movie, directly acknowledge Ocean's 8's supreme mediocrity. Ani Bundel recently wrote the following:
'Ocean's 8' isn't trying to win an Oscar (or even a Golden Globe). Nor did it feel the need to bring aboard anyone from the George Clooney versions. This is a film that clearly could not care less if the boys from earlier editions approve of it. There is something incredibly refreshing - and yes, even empowering, about that ... 'Ocean's 8' isn't trying to improve on the all-male versions that came before it ... and it certainly doesn't feel the need to prove why it exists.
There's a few layers to unpack in her piece but the overwhelming message roughly translates to "This movie's not going for an A+. Grade it on a curve." I don't subscribe to this argument. Each year, the majority of movie releases are entirely forgettable. Usually the intentions behind the movies are good; the final execution is just lacking. To excuse Ocean's 8 as not vying for any awards or not trying to improve on anything is, simply put, a cop-out. If the intention wasn't to prove why it needs to exist, why tell the story at all? If it didn't want to bring something new to the table, why make a reboot? Mediocrity is not a shield behind which to hide failed intentions. We should celebrate ambitious reaches, not excuse flawed executions.
Additionally, if this movie couldn't care less about standing apart from its predecessors, why rely on the "Ocean's" title? Why make the lead character the sister of George Clooney's character? Why include (by my count) at least 2 cameos of male characters from those movies? Why keep Soderbergh on as a producer? Ani Bundel may feel that this movie stands on its own two feet, but all of its underlying facts and history prove otherwise. Objectively, it is a descendant of Soderbergh's movie; and it is inviting comparisons.
Ultimately, Ocean's 8 is fine. And in another couple of weeks, we'll all probably forget about it. I suppose there is one way in which Ocean's 8 compares justly to Ocean's 11 - it's an apt imitation of Soderbergh's movie that gets about three-quarters of the way there.
