REVIEW: ‘Oceans Eight’

Oceans 8 is a fun, if kind of forgettable, romp that has some great characters, interesting set pieces and most importantly a clever heist that has you on the edge of your seat the whole way through and honors the legacy of Ocean’s 11.

This movie would never work without the wonderful chemistry of the team. Everyone’s personalities meld together really well and it was so refreshing to see so many different types of women portrayed in one movie! Everyone on the team has a job only they can do and nobody feels like they don’t belong. The performances are also great, but the standouts are Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, Cate Blanchett as Lou, and surprisingly Anne Hathaway as Daphne Kluger. Bullock and Blanchett have a fantastic report from the very beginning that binds the rest of the crew together. My only complaint is that we didn’t see more of the minor characters like Nine Ball (played by Rihanna) and Constance (played by Awkwafina). The cast and characters are what makes this movie special and stand out from the other Ocean’s films.

While it doesn’t break the mold of the genre, the heist itself was incredibly fun to watch. It was complex, while also staying pretty easy to follow if you were paying attention. It was tense, engaging and the character’s specific skill sets were utilized in very interesting ways. I genuinely couldn’t tell what they were going to do multiple times throughout. Also whoever decided that it should take place at the Met Gala deserves a raise, because it was gorgeous.

Overall Oceans 8 was a great time! It does suffer from some pacing issues in the middle and I do think it’s about 20 minutes too long but as a fan of Ocean’s 11 I think this is as good a successor as one could ask for. I don’t know if can recommend it at full ticket price but it is definitely worth a matinée!