Review: Ocean's 8

Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

"Ocean's 8" is a lean heist movie that gets right down to business, from the setup to the actual heist, and yields modest results. It's a moderately amusing, albeit mostly unnecessary, film that features a roster of great talent, all of whom appear to be having a good time. It's just that a fourth film - although one with a new cast - in the "Ocean's 11" series was not something for which many were likely clamoring. Similar to the recent "Ghostbusters" reboot - which wasn't half bad, truth be told - "Ocean's 8" begs the question as to why a studio can't round up a great group of women as it has here and give them some original material.

As the film opens, career criminal Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), sister of Danny (once played by George Clooney, who never makes an appearance, but is referenced enough times to likely warrant his name in the credits), is getting out of prison after a five-year stint. She has an ex-lover to thank - and later frame - for her time in the big house. Debbie also had five years to come up with a perfect heist that involves convincing Cartier to loan a $100 million necklace to a celebrity to wear to the Met Gala, where Ocean and a group of associates plan to swipe it.

If Bullock is the Clooney character in "Ocean's 8," then Cate Blanchett is the Brad Pitt figure - smooth, stylish and the right-hand woman to the lead character. The rest of the team is an assortment of supporting actors, including the wondrous Helena Bonham Carter (playing a fashion designer who's in on the scheme), Mindy Kaling (as a jewels expert), Sarah Paulson (as a fence), Awkwafina as a pickpocket and singer Rihanna as a computer hacker. I know, that makes seven, not eight - but the final character in Ocean's crew would require a spoiler alert.

The ladies' heist involves stealing a six-pound necklace made of diamonds from the neck of an actress (Anne Hathaway) with a bloated ego. But their scheme first involves getting Cartier to agree to loan the piece to the actress, getting one of the crew hired to work the Met Gala and finding other creative ways to ensure that all eight members of the crew are on the premises for the event.

There's little in the way of characterization, outside of brief introductions to each character early in the picture. Instead, "Ocean's 8" jumps right into the heist and the focus here is on the fun involved in the numerous sleights of hand. When all is said and done, the picture is breezy and amusing, but forgettable. Steven Soderbergh's original "Ocean's" movie was the best of the bunch, but the numerous sequels all feel like variations, this one included. If you're tired of comic book movies and expensive-looking explosions, "Ocean's 8" is a welcome reprieve. But there's likely something better to see - "Hereditary," for instance, if you're into being traumatized - at the multiplex right now.