Allow me to be frank – there are few films that I enjoyed watching this year more than Ocean’s 8, and that could be for a number of reasons. The film is a continuation of Steven Soderbergh’s highly-popular heist comedy film series, constituted of Oceans Eleven through Thirteen, films that also adhered to the manifesto of being entertaining, thrilling and hilarious caper films that may not have much substance, but compensates for its lack of depth with hearty good cheer and exciting storylines. I was not expecting too much from Ocean’s 8, and to be perfectly frank, I thought it would be just another dull reboot in an era where nostalgia to the good old days ran rampant. However, my preconceptions of this film were proven to be nothing but foolish cynicism, as Ocean’s 8 is a delightfully funny, thrilling and exhilirating crime comedy that has a terrific cast and a story void of too many complications, but still detailed enough to make for an oddly intelligent viewing experience. Needless to say, I think I may have enjoyed Ocean’s 8 a bit more than I was intending to.

Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) has spent five years in prison after being sold out for her involvement in an art fraud scam with her lover, Claude Becker (Richard Armitage). Much like her late brother, Danny Ocean (made famous by George Clooney in the previous films), she has a penchant for commiting elaborate heists, and she very soon sets her sights on one of the biggest yet. To assist her, she seeks out her partner-in-crime and best friend, Lou (Cate Blanchett), who is initially reluctant, but finally relents when she realizes the scope of what Debbie is planning. They put together a crew of eccentric women, all of which are going to assist them in their scam. They include Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter), a disgraced fashion designer in serious need of some assistance after she finds herself in considerable debt, Nine Ball (Rihanna), a strange young hacker who seems capable of intricate technological sabotage, Amita (Mindy Kaling), a young jeweller who wants to escape her dull life living with her mother, Constance (Awkwafina), an overly-confident young street hustler and pickpocket, and Tammy (Sarah Paulson), who has given up her life of crime to raise a family. The plan is simple: they intend to rob the Met Gala, where they will swipe an excessively expensive Cartier diamond necklace, which they manage to get onto the neck of the event’s co-host, the self-entitled Hollywood star Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway). The plan is simple, but consists of a number of technical and logistical obstacles, with each of the seven women having invaluable duties to assist in the successful accomplishment of the task, which takes the audience on a thrilling journey where we are privvy to the exciting underworld of elaborate heists, the representation of which may not be particularly accurate here, but it sure was fun.

Ocean’s 8 is built on the cast, and the producers outdid themselves with the ensemble selected for this film. Somehow, through some impossibly celestial chance, this film managed to assemble some of the finest actors of their generation, as well as getting some of the most exciting newcomers, some of which aren’t even known for acting, involved in this film. Unlike the previous Ocean’s films, Ocean’s 8 does not possess a single weak link in its central cast, and while there are some performers here that are highlighted more than others, every single individual is given something pivotal to the storyline to do, and the result is a well-balanced ensemble who have terrific chemistry, and manage to do the most with the sometimes-slight material they have been given. Ocean’s 8 is, above anything else, a film that has a great concept, but the success of the film lies solely in the hands of the cast, all of which are responsible for bringing this story to life and making some of the most unconventionally inaccurate details seem not only realistic, but entirely natural as well. I was most reluctant about the casting aspects of this film, because sometimes films like Ocean’s 8 focus on casting distinctive performers, hoping that they can compensate for the narrative problems, and while this film does have some minor shortcomings, it is clear that this cast was constructed purely out of the desire to have some of the most elegant and distinguished performers from around the world and across genres, treading the familiar boards of this traditional but unconventional crime comedy.

The film is led by Sandra Bullock, who is one of the most endearing actresses working today, someone with an unbridled likeability and charismatic streak that has made her one of the most popular actresses of her generation, being able to effectively portray characters across genres, making memorable forays into the realms of comedy, drama, action, science fiction and others throughout her career. Bullock also has an incredibly noteworthy comedic ability, which makes her the perfect protagonist for Ocean’s 8, as she is able to take the central role of Debbie Ocean without distracting from the other performances around her – but considering the pedigree of her co-stars, it is not a surprise that Bullock’s performance, while pivotal, was far from the only distinctive one in this film. One of the most interesting parts of the cast of Ocean’s 8 was Cate Blanchett, who has been taking daring leaps into mainstream fare as of late, with her recent performance in Thor: Ragnarok being one of the highest moments for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ocean’s 8 affords Blanchett yet another wonderful performance, and playing Lou, the loyal but fierce best friend and partner-in-crime to our protagonist, Blanchett is as prepossessing and delightful as usual, and despite her role being far less central to the film than I thought, Blanchett elevates a character that is already great, making her into something truly special.

Yet, despite the great performances from Bullock and Blanchett, it is Anne Hathaway who steals the show, playing the arrogant, self-obssesed Daphne Kluger. I have never seen Hathaway give a performance quite like this, and it may be one of her most hilarious performances to date, with her relentless attention to portraying a character who is an archetype, not a parody, of the spoiled, self-entitled Hollywood star, being one of this film’s most significant merits. I love Hathaway, and her performances frequently remind me of her indescribable ability to make any character her own. Ocean’s 8 also serves to be one of her most effective returns to the genre of comedy, in which she made some of her most significant cinematic contributions, yet she would subsequently pursue more dramatic fare (and endeavour that proved fruitful, as it resulted in her towering performance in Les Misérables), but not without occasionally returning to comedy in films such as The Intern and Love and Other Drugs, both of which were films that she considerably elevated through her beguiling charms and unique personality that has made her one of the most consistently great performers of her generation. Ocean’s 8 has Hathaway at her most irreverent and sardonically likable, and she is incredible in this film, and what could have easily been a caricature turned into an affectionate mocking of traditional archetypes, and Hathaway truly does the most to personify the blatant fame that comes with superstardom, and she gives arguably the best performance in the film.

However, some of the most memorable moments in this film don’t come on behalf of the more-established trio of Bullock, Blanchett and Hathaway, but from some of the less-renowned but no less talented members of the ensemble. Rihanna truly surprised me, with her eccentric performance as the strange but fascinating hacker Nine Ball being quite astonishing. Her performance is oddly great, considering the fact that the audience often forgets that this is one of the world’s most popular entertainers, someone who has sold out entire stadiums over the course of her career and become one of the biggest pop stars of her generation. Rather, she understands the limits of this role, and adapts accordingly. It may not be a particularly bold performance, but it is one that is not distracting, and Rihanna possesses a unique charm, and I could certainly see her working in more films, as she clearly has a knack for acting, which only makes her popularity as a singer more validating, as it shows her multi-faceted talents extend far beyond music. Awkwafina, who is just as quirky as her name would suggest, also makes a bold mainstream debut, after some small supporting performances over the years, in the role of Constance. Unfortunately, her character is given the least-generous space to grow, but she still has some great moments throughout the film, and her larger-than-life persona comes across as uncompromisingly lovable, and much like her fellow musician-turned-actor Rihanna, I could easily see Awkwafina having a secondary career in acting. Helena Bonham Carter is unsurprisingly brilliant as the unpredictable Irish fashion designer Rose Weil, and it continues to prove that Bonham Carter is a terrific performer, capable of nearly anything, and her performance in Ocean’s 8 was well-within her abilities, she was still a welcome presence to the film. Mindy Kaling and Sarah Paulson are television royalty and have been working hard to make careers for themselves in feature films, and both ladies are unquestionably talented, and they are on the verge of breaking out as cinematic performers. However, Ocean’s 8 is not the film to do that for them, because despite being pivotal to the film, their characters needed a bit more attention to make an impact on the level of some of the others. However, considering how the alternative was to have them be utilized even less, the final product was much better. The ensemble of Ocean’s 8 works extremely well together, with tangible chemistry and terrific commitment to their roles which could have easily been forgettable, but are rather very special in the hands of these capable women.

Ocean’s 8 was a film I was expecting to be underwhelmed by, because normally, as I said before, a cast of this pedigree can sometimes be seen as an attempt to mask some slightness with the film. However, I found Ocean’s 8 to be a truly good time, and most of this was due to the unrestrained amusement, coupled with an intelligent and intricate crime storyline that shows the inner-workings of a heist, where each individual is responsible for some part of the operation, serving to be invaluable pieces of some abstract criminal puzzle. Ocean’s 8 is a timely film, especially considering the movement towards films that present female characters as much more than simply archetypes as they had been portrayed in many films. Moreover, this is a diverse film, but one that doesn’t point out how inclusive it actually is, rather serving to just give these talented performers great roles, where their gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or ethnicity are inconsequential to the story. I abhorr attempts by cynics to positions films such as Ocean’s 8 as an attempt to rewrite traditionally-male stories from the perspective of women, especially considering this is a film that doesn’t intend to make any bold declarations of its own inclusivity, but rather to just show that a film lead entirely by women can be successful, entertaining and appealing to a wide audience. Ocean’s 8 is not “a film for women”, as many have attempted to make it seem, but rather a film for everyone, that just so happens to be focused on a cast of female characters, where their gender is not important, but rather their skills, logic and intelligence. This is not Gary Ross’ first time making a film with willful, resourceful female characters at the core, with films such as Seabiscuit, Pleasantville and The Hunger Games having some wonderful female performances. Ocean’s 8 evokes many discussions that could be had about how inclusion in mainstream films is not only wonderful, it is necessary, and it is a prime example of how successful something can be when the passion is there. Ocean’s 8 does what it does, and it does it well, and I personally hope that we are able to see these characters again, as much as I dislike franchises being built out of successful films.

Ocean’s 8 is a slick and entertaining film that never takes itself too seriously, and rather relies on its talented cast and wonderful storyline. It is fast-paced and cerebral, balancing humor with thrills. The cast is comprised of an octet of supremely talented ladies, each of them giving dedicated performances, regardless of whether they were the main draw for this film, or relative newcomers making significant contributions to their careers. The highlights of Ocean’s 8 are undeniably Anne Hathaway, who is at her best as the vain Daphne Kluger, and Sandra Bullock, who is as charismatic and endearing as ever in a role inspired by her friend and collaborator George Clooney’s iconic performance in the preceding films. I was more shocked than anyone to find myself loving this film, and I felt genuine empathy for these characters and rooted for their success, which is not particularly common in films about people commiting crimes. Ocean’s 8 is a likable, enjoyable film that focuses on the dynamics between the performers and building an interesting story that is rousing and intoxicating. It is not a serious film, but it is a captivating one, a vibrant and refreshing heist comedy that subverts traditional crime film conventions and delivers an amusing and electrifying story that may not stand as one of the best films of the year, but it is in strong contention for most entertaining.