'Ocean's 8' Values Style Far Higher Than Substance, But It's Still An Enjoyable Watch - HuffPost Verdict

K E Y P O I N T S

• Sandra Bullock leads an all-star cast alongside Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway.
• Her character, Debbie, is the sister of Danny Ocean (George Clooney) from the rebooted ’Ocean’s trilogy
• The new heist involves a robbery at the star-studded Met Gala
• Anna Wintour and Kim Kardashian are among the many (many) A-listers who make cameo appearances
• The film is already out in the US, where it took more than $41 million during its opening weekend.

S N A P V E R D I C T

Let’s start with the good stuff, shall we?

‘Ocean’s 8’ looks fantastic. The scenes at the Met Gala are seriously impressive (and jam-packed with celebrity cameos), with director Gary Ross receiving assistance from Anna Wintour for the recreated event.

Cate Blanchett’s wardrobe is a work of art in itself, and the fast-paced heist is shot brilliantly, looking seriously slick.

The cast are phenomenal; they’re all hilarious with razor-sharp wit and such obvious chemistry that will leave you laughing at the sight of reports claiming the actors didn’t get on.

Rapper and comedian Awkwafina is fantastic as pickpocket Constance and Anne Hathaway sends up half of Hollywood with her portrayal of image-obsessed actress Daphne Kluger.

Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bulllock) has the swagger of her now-deceased brother and Rihanna is as great as you hoped she’d be, playing the mysterious Nine Ball.

But the plot itself doesn’t quite match up. Stellar performances can only take a film so far and sadly, ‘Ocean’s 8’ lacks a script as punchy as the all-male original.

There’s never any real sense of jeopardy and when the twists come, they arrive thick and fast, leaving the second half of the film feeling a little rushed (And let’s just not mention James Corden’s insurance investigator role).

Is it a fun watch anyway? Yes, absolutely. It’s easy to follow, you’ll laugh a lot and never quite work out what the thinking was behind Helena Bonham Carter’s Irish accent.

But if you were hoping for a story as witty and clever as the women in the cast, you’re going to be left disappointed.

B E S T L I N E S

Tammy (Sarah Paulson) explaining things to her kids:

Debbie Ocean’s pre-robbery pep talk:

W A T C H T H E T R A I L E R . . .