Ocean's 12

A sharp, sassy and self-confident comedy thriller, Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's 11 was that rare Hollywood beast - a remake which was infinitely superior to the original (a lame Rat Pack vanity project). Unfortunately he can't quite repeat the trick with Ocean's 12, the sporadically engaging but hollow sequel, which sees the gang reunited for another series of heists. However, Danny Ocean (George Clooney), Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) and the rest of the thieves aren't exactly what you'd call willing participants in this latest job. The casino owner they ripped off in the first, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia in an underused role) has located them and makes them an offer they can't refuse - either they return his $165million with interest, or he'll put them out of business. Permanently. Realising that they are marked men in the United States, Ocean and the rest of the gang turn to Europe in a desperate bid to come up with the cash in a mere two weeks or face the nasty consequences. While the original had a knockabout, almost effortless charm, Ocean's 12 appears to be over-reliant on the pulling power of its stars. The script is absurdly complex in places - featuring a subplot about a master thief (Vincent Cassel) determined to prove he's the best in the world - but it never manages to catch fire, overly dependent on throwaway moments of comedy between its main players when it should be pulsating. In its best moments - usually involving Clooney and Pitt - Ocean's 12 has a fizz and pizzazz but it all feels a little flat before the final credits roll.