Ocean's Twelve (2004) * * *

Directed by:  Steven Soderbergh

Starring:  George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, Andy Garcia, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Eddie Jemison, Vincent Cassel, Elliott Gould, Eddie Izzard, Carl Reiner, Don Cheadle

The Ocean's Eleven guys and girls are back for another caper, this time in Europe, because after the heist in Ocean's Eleven, Vegas is off limits for a while.  Oh, and Terry Benedict (Garcia) is looking to recoup the $150 million Ocean and crew stole from him.   He is not the type of guy to take losing lying down.   

Benedict gives Ocean three weeks to come up with the $150 million (plus interest).   The crew has spent most of their shares on floundering businesses and leisurely lifestyles, so they will have to pull off another job before Benedict has them all killed.   What can they steal that could be worth at least that much?    They attempt a job in the Netherlands in which they have to somehow raise a house a few inches so they have direct access to a safe.     Don't even ask.    The job fails, thanks to the interference of a mysterious thief called The Night Fox (Cassel).    This thief has a beef with Danny also, stemming from a reputed slight by one of Danny's friends.   Talk about egos run amok.

The Night Fox has a challenge for Ocean.    Whoever steals the famed, priceless Faberge Egg on display in a Rome museum first wins the challenge.     If Ocean wins, he agrees to pay Ocean's debt to Benedict.     If the fox wins, well, that's all folks for the Ocean's Eleven.    As if matters weren't complicated enough, also on Ocean's trail is an Interpol detective (Zeta-Jones) who was the once the former lover of Rusty Ryan (Pitt).     Things indeed become entangled and that is part of the fun.

Ocean's Twelve is all about the twists, turns, and things seemingly going horribly wrong for the guys.    Danny's wife (again) Tess (Roberts) is sprung into action because she looks like, well, Julia Roberts and could help the guys gain access to the museum.    The plot nearly works, except for the unexpected presence of Bruce Willis (playing himself), who just so happens to be in the one place on Earth the Ocean's Eleven crew wishes he wasn't.    Complications after complications arise and it looks for a while like Ocean and his crew will lose.    But, we know better and the payoff and conclusion are well-handled.     There is even a nice emotional tug involving Zeta-Jones and a retired thief who plays a behind-the-scenes role in all of the shenanigans.

Clooney, Pitt, Roberts, and company all return in this sequel having a good time while visiting beautiful locales in some of the world's greatest cities.    By my count, they are in London, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam in the span of three weeks.    It's good to see they have enough money left over to pay for the travel and hotel rooms.    Ocean's Twelve is a fun, light caper comedy.    It does not transcend into greatness like its predecessor, but very few caper comedies will.    You will, however, have a good time.