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Ocean's Twelve

A Deep Dive into Heist Cinema's Sophisticated Sequel

Explore the Plot ๐Ÿ‘‡ Meet the Crew ๐ŸŽญ

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The Intricate Plot

The Debt

Four years after their successful heist in Ocean's Eleven, Danny Ocean's crew finds themselves targeted by Terry Benedict, the owner of the Bellagio casino they robbed. Benedict demands the return of the $160 million stolen, plus $38 million in interest, giving them a mere two weeks to repay the debt under threat of severe consequences.

European Gambit

With their funds depleted, the crew relocates to Amsterdam to plan a new heist that would operate outside U.S. jurisdiction. An informant, Matsui, tips them off about the location of the first stock certificate ever issued. However, their plan is complicated when they discover the certificate has already been stolen by a mysterious and highly skilled rival thief known as the "Night Fox."

The Rival and the Detective

Europol detective Isabel Lahiri, an ex-girlfriend of Rusty Ryan, is assigned to the case. Recognizing Rusty's modus operandi from their past relationship, she deduces his involvement and warns the crew that they are outmatched by the Night Fox and his mentor, Gaspar LeMarc. The Night Fox is revealed to be Franรงois Toulour, a wealthy French baron who orchestrated the exposure of the crew's identities to Benedict and their recruitment by Matsui, all to challenge Danny Ocean's reputation.

The Fabergรฉ Egg Challenge

Toulour challenges Danny Ocean to steal the Imperial Coronation Fabergรฉ egg from a museum in Rome. If successful, Toulour promises to pay off the crew's debt. The crew devises an elaborate plan involving holographic replicas and a diversionary tactic, but Toulour anticipates their moves, tipping off Lahiri and leading to the apprehension of most of the crew.

Meta-Narrative and Resolution

In a surprising twist, Tess Ocean poses as Julia Roberts to gain access to the egg. The plan is further complicated by the appearance of Bruce Willis, playing himself in a meta-narrative subplot. Ultimately, the crew is released by the FBI, and Danny reveals to Toulour that they had already stolen the real egg, tipped off by LeMarc, who is revealed to be Lahiri's father. The crew repays Benedict, and Toulour concedes defeat.

The Ensemble Cast

The Core Crew

The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast reprising their roles from Ocean's Eleven, alongside new additions.

  • George Clooney as Danny Ocean
  • Julia Roberts as Tess Ocean (also playing herself)
  • Brad Pitt as Robert "Rusty" Ryan
  • Matt Damon as Linus Caldwell
  • Don Cheadle as Basher Tarr
  • Bernie Mac as Frank Catton
  • Casey Affleck as Virgil Malloy
  • Scott Caan as Turk Malloy
  • Eddie Jemison as Livingston Dell
  • Carl Reiner as Saul Bloom
  • Elliott Gould as Reuben Tishkoff
  • "The Amazing" Yen (Qin Shaobo) as Yen

Key Newcomers & Cameos

New characters and notable cameos add layers to the narrative and meta-commentary.

  • Catherine Zeta-Jones as Isabel Lahiri (Europol detective)
  • Andy Garcรญa as Terry Benedict
  • Vincent Cassel as Baron Franรงois Toulour ("The Night Fox")
  • Eddie Izzard as Roman Nagel
  • Robbie Coltrane as Ian Nicholas McNally ("Matsui")
  • Albert Finney as Gaspar LeMarc (uncredited)
  • Bruce Willis as himself (uncredited cameo)
  • Topher Grace as himself (uncredited cameo)
  • Jerry Weintraub as Denny Shields (uncredited cameo)

Production Insights

Development & Scripting

Following the success of Ocean's Eleven, Warner Bros. greenlit a sequel, with Steven Soderbergh returning to direct and most of the original cast confirmed. George Nolfi penned the screenplay, shifting the narrative to a European setting. Notably, the script underwent revisions when Julia Roberts became pregnant, leading to her character, Tess, playing a meta-narrative role as herself.

Global Filming Locations

Principal photography spanned multiple continents in 2003. Key locations included:

  • United States: Atlantic City, St. Petersburg (Florida), Las Vegas (including the Bellagio Hotel), Chicago.
  • Europe:
    • Netherlands: Amsterdam, Haarlem (KattenKabinet, Hotel Pulitzer, Haarlem Railway Station, The Hague City Hall).
    • France: Paris (Sorbonne University, Australian Embassy, Gare du Nord).
    • Monaco: Monte Carlo Casino.
    • Italy: Lake Como (Villa Erba in Cernobbio), Rome, Castellammare del Golfo (Sicily).

Critical & Commercial Reception

Box Office Performance

Released on December 10, 2004, Ocean's Twelve debuted at number one in the US, grossing $39.2 million in its opening weekend. It achieved a worldwide total of $362.9 million, making it the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2004. While not surpassing its predecessor's financial success, it was considered a commercial triumph.

Critical Assessment

Critical reception was mixed. Rotten Tomatoes reported a 55% approval rating, with critics noting a divergence between those who found it a "fun, glossy star vehicle" and others who deemed it "lazy, self-satisfied and illogical." Metacritic assigned a score of 58/100, indicating average reviews. The film received the lowest critical scores within the Ocean's franchise, though director Steven Soderbergh later expressed it as his personal favorite.

Accolades & Recognition

Key Nominations

The film garnered nominations across various categories, recognizing its ensemble cast and technical achievements.

Award Category Recipients Result
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Acting Ensemble Ensemble Cast Nominated
Costume Designers Guild Excellence in Contemporary Film Milena Canonero Nominated
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Don Cheadle Nominated
BET Awards Best Actor Don Cheadle Nominated

Musical Score & Soundtrack

Composed by David Holmes

The original score was composed by David Holmes, who also contributed music to Ocean's Eleven. His work for Ocean's Twelve earned him a BMI award. The soundtrack album was released by Warner Bros. Records on December 7, 2004.

Notable tracks include:

  1. "L'appuntamento" (performed by Ornella Vanoni)
  2. "$165 Million + Interest" / "The Round Up"
  3. "L.S.D. Partie" (Roland Vincent)
  4. "Lifting the Building"
  5. "10:35 I Turn Off Camera 3"
  6. "Crepuscolo sul mare" (Piero Umiliani)
  7. "What R We Stealing"
  8. "Faust 72" (Dynastie Crisis)
  9. "Stealing the Stock" / "Le Renard de Nuit"
  10. "7/29/04 The Day Of"
  11. "Lazy [Album Version]" (Yellow Hammer)
  12. "Explosive Corrosive Joseph" (John Schroeder)
  13. "Yen on a Carousel"
  14. "The Real Story"
  15. "Ascension to Virginity" (Dave Grusin)
  16. "Three 8 Bar Drum Loops" (hidden track)

The album notably omits several songs featured in the film, such as "Thรฉ ร  la Menthe" by La Caution and "El Capitalismo Foraneo" by Gotan Project.

Franchise Continuation

Ocean's Thirteen

The narrative arc of Danny Ocean's crew concluded with Ocean's Thirteen, released in 2007. Directed again by Steven Soderbergh, it featured most of the original male cast, with Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin joining the ensemble. Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones did not return for this installment.

Spin-off: Ocean's 8

A spin-off film, Ocean's 8, was released in 2018, featuring an entirely new, all-female ensemble cast, continuing the spirit of the heist genre established by the Ocean's series.

References

Source Citations

The information presented here is derived from the cited sources within the original Wikipedia article.

  1. ^ a b c "Ocean's Twelve (2005)". The Numbers. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "OCEANS 12 - Production notes - Twelve Is The New Eleven". CinemaReview.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  3. ^ "Ocean's Twelve at City Hall - filming location".
  4. ^ "OCEANS 12 - Production notes - About the production". CinemaReview.com. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  5. ^ "Ocean's Twelve". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  6. ^ "Ocean's Twelve (2004) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  7. ^ "2004 Worldwide Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  8. ^ "Ocean's Twelve". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  9. ^ "Ocean's Twelve". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  10. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 10, 2018). "'Ocean's 8' Steals Franchise Record With $41.5M Opening โ€“ Final Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  11. ^ Stephen Hunter (December 10, 2004). "An Uneven 'Twelve'". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  12. ^ Ansen, David (2004-12-13), "Style Over Substance". Newsweek. 144 (24):63
  13. ^ Puig, Claudia (2004). "Forecast for 'Ocean's': Splashy and very cool"
  14. ^ "The worst movie sequels ever - # 16. Ocean's Twelve". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  15. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 9, 2004). "Ocean's Twelve". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  16. ^ Nissim, Mayer (16 November 2009). "Steven Soderbergh defends 'Ocean's Twelve". Digital Spy. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  17. ^ "Breaking News - The Broadcast Film Critics Association Announces the Nominees for the 10th Annual Critics' Choice Awards | TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  18. ^ Thompson, Jenn (2005-02-21). "Costume nods draped on 'Aquatic,' 'Snicket'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  19. ^ "Welcome to NAACP Image Awards". 2005-04-08. Archived from the original on 2005-04-08. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  20. ^ Billboard Staff (2005-05-16). "2005 BET Awards Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  21. ^ "Amsterdam/I Love Art... Really! - David Holmes Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  22. ^ "Ocean's Thirteen (2007) - IMDb". Retrieved 2025-04-26.

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References

References

  1.  Puig, Claudia (2004). "Forecast for 'Ocean's': Splashy and very cool"
A full list of references for this article are available at the Ocean's Twelve Wikipedia page

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