Sunday News

Ocean’s Eight ain’t great

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been out of its vault in 50 years.

Debbie believes the upcoming Met Gala could provide the perfect opportunit­y for it to finally get an airing, especially if its draped around the neck of someone like actress Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway).

Then it’s just the small problem of committing one of the globe’s biggest jewellery heists at perhaps America’s most exclusive party in a venue with what’s believed to be the most sophistica­ted security system in the world.

In three instalment­s peppered throughout the noughties, George Clooney and his band of brazen brothers-in-crime entertaine­d audiences with a mix of swagger, sleight-of-hand and snappy one-liners. But while boasting perhaps an even more impressive cast (they have four Oscars, two Emmys, eight Grammys and six Golden Globes between them), this Ocean suffers from shallow plotting and tepid characters.

While there is plenty of fun to be had from the set-up and setting, writer-director Gary Ross’ ( The Hunger Games, Seabiscuit, Pleasantvi­lle) movie is blighted by underwritt­en characters, an underwhelm­ing nemesis, and a seemingly unending desire to remind people just what a star-studded event the Met Gala is.

Where Danny’s squad had four or five memorable characters, Debbie’s really only has two (Bullock’s leader and Helena Bonham Carter’s kooky Irish designer).

The rest are portrayed as single-skilled, one-dimensiona­l ‘‘criminals’’ and because of that, it feels like a House Bunny or Pitch Perfect fraumance rather than a compelling crime caper.

But there are moments of AP

 ??  ?? Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter and Sandra Bullock are among the awardwinni­ng cast in Ocean’s 8.
Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter and Sandra Bullock are among the awardwinni­ng cast in Ocean’s 8.

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