Ocean's 8: What the critics are saying about all-female reboot

Sandra Bullock heads up a cast comprised of Cate Blanchett, Rihanna and Mindy Kaling

New heist film Ocean’s 8 is almost here and the reviews are rolling in.

Devised as an all-female reboot of Ocean’s Eleven, the film unites Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna and Anne Hathaway for a caper that is receiving mixed reviews from critics.

Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 original, itself a remake of a 1960 film starring five members of the Rat Pack, starred George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.

Below is a roundup of all the reviews.

The Guardian – Benjamin Lee – 2 stars

"It sounds like a blast and at times, during the first act it almost is, but while great care has been taken in populating the film with infinitely talented performers, there’s been less attention paid to the pros behind the scenes. While Ocean’s Eleven glided through its many sharp set pieces, Ocean’s 8 inelegantly plods. The smoothness of Soderbergh’s concoction, often smug yet mostly rather charming, has been replaced with a bland impersonality, the work of a disinterested hired hand."

The Hollywood Reporter – David Rooney

“This is a self-satisfied exercise that’s only occasionally as much fun as it thinks it is. The whole point of rebuilding the glamorous crime caper around women is to make them different. But although they swap tuxedos for couture gowns and heels — or in biker chick Lou’s case, slinky pantsuits and a razor-cut shag — the dynamic lacks freshness.”

NME - Rhian Daly - 4 stars

"Though the action is nothing particularly new, Ocean’s 8 is a riot of laugh-out-loud moments, the seductive allure of criminal behaviour, and just enough references to the franchise’s male-run past to keep old-school fans happy. Its leads might be Hollywood A-listers, but the biggest stars are its less famous cast members – Kaling’s comic timing is impeccable, while Awkwafina’s street-smart Constance gives a gritty alternative to the polished glamour of Bullock and Blanchett’s double act."

Vulture - Emily Yoshida

"For all the noise around its casting and even its very existence, Ocean’s 8 is a surprisingly quiet movie... directed with workaday flatness by Gary Ross. [He] never revs up an equivalent sort of confidence among its seemingly bountiful ensemble of personalities. All its getting-the-gang-together scenes — which should be half the fun of this kind of joint — feel airless, conducted in soundproof rooms devoid of ambiance or texture or jokes."

Empire - Ian Freer - 3 stars

"Plot-wise Ocean’s 8 cleaves closely to the tenets of Heist Movie Lore but does little to enliven or tweak the formula. It lacks the jazzy swagger of Soderbergh’s trio but delivers a fun, likeable romp built on the charm and charisma of its cast."

Vanity Fair - Richard Lawson

Ocean's 8 is in cinemas on 18 June