Based upon the script ”Honor amongst Thieves” by George Nolfi, Soderbergh, producer Weintraub and Clooney used it as a platform for the follow-up to the mega hit “Ocean’s Eleven”.

But rather than making another heist movie, Soderbergh took the chance and continued to play with blending reality and fiction together, as he previously did somewhat in “Traffic” and very much so in “K-Street”. While the characters have their character names, they are indeed themselves and the film is full of references and personal in-jokes, where these celebs do satire on themselves. Bernie Mac constantly has manicure, Clooney is concerned about if he looks his age, Julia Roberts imitates Julia Roberts, along with Bruce Willis playing himself, Vincent Cassel imitates Catherine Zeta-Jones’ acrobatic sneaking between the lasers from “Entrapment” and so forth. Even the plot itself is an in-joke on both “Ocean’s Eleven” and several other heist movies, where the gang begins to discuss why the hell they are known as Ocean’s eleven and why Danny Ocean gets all the honor.

As a result of this, the story is awfully flawed and as a "film" film it is barely acceptable. But neither Soderbergh or Clooney, or for that matter any of the other participants, were concerned about the film. It was all about having fun and making fun of themselves. Very few filmmakers can get away will pulling a stunt like this. This is a film first and foremost for Soderbergh fans and those who get the joke. Those who don’t will be left behind.

Shot by Soderbergh, under his alias Peter Andrews, and edited by his now regular editor Stephen Mirrione (and Soderbergh himself), it is even more extreme in its use of Soderberghian mise-en-scene, supported by the super funky soundtrack by David Holmes, who also did the score for “Out of Sight” and “Ocean’s Eleven”, and further notes upon this being a project between close friends.

“Ocean’s Twelve” is escapism at its most extreme, a film without any redeeming value, without any social context. Its about having fun and making fun of each other. Its the sort of film where the protagonists can get away with anything, and where we let them, because its one hell of a ride to watch them do it. Its the sort of film that lives on the chemistry between the actors and the energy which is generated by it.

Henrik Sylow