The robbery goes ahead but not without its problems and they manage to get away. However things get nasty when it emerges that a Soho porn king/gangster also has incriminating evidence in the vault and things turn nasty as he tries to get it back.

The Good:

The script is based on a true story which always makes interesting viewing. It briefly made headlines and then disappeared due to a Government D notice, gagging the press for 30 years. This gives the film an air of mystery about it as we know we are watching things the Government and police would prefer us not to know about and a bit of scandal involving the Royal Family is always a winner and this (apart from Jason Statham) is what I think will mainly appeal to American audiences as they always seem interested in things to do with the British Monarchy.

The characters are fun and well liked. Jason Statham is in a role he seems very comfortable with. It is rather similar to the parts he had in Lock Stock and Snatch which had a down to earth realism about them. There are some rather heart warming scenes between him and his little girls including one where he is dancing with one at a friend's wedding. We do also get to see him in action as well and although his character is likable he still has that manly quality that appeals to both male and female audiences.

The other characters are also good, particularly the rather comedic Dave played by Daniel Mays and Saffron Burrows is well cast as a former model who gets caught up in scandal.

The film has a fun retro feel taking us back in time to 1970s London and its T-Rex theme tune will instantly catch you.

There are some pretty tense moments mixed in with some pretty good one liners that make the movie what it is. It isn't overly violent or over the top nor is it a comedy but what we do get is pretty well balanced.

The Bad:

As much as we love to see Jason Statham's fight scenes the one in this seemed a little silly as he was fighting someone a lot bigger than him and it was as if it was written in the film just because of who he is. There will be those on the other hand of cause who don't care who he was fighting, again because of who he is.

There was a sex scene between Jason Statham and Saffron Burrows cut from the film. This wouldn't have been a problem really if it hadn't been for a scene later on in the film when them having sex is referred to and the audience is meant to assume it happened after a kiss which we do see.

My View:

All in all The Bank Job is an enjoyable film which works well on many levels. It is pretty much a man's film but is not overly violent enough to put women off who will be attracted to the drama and scandal as it is a true story.

"Ocean's 13" is as visually pleasing as its two older siblings. The Las Vegas backdrop is as lavish as ever and the suits and smiles are just as flashy. With George Clooney (Danny Ocean) and Brad Pitt (Rusty Ryan) returning to head up the cast, you would expect this to be as classy a number as its predecessors.

The plot device of gradually revealing layer after layer of complicated hustles shouldn't be worn out yet, but in this film it's overdone and needlessly long-winded. It's like watching a domino-toppling champion endlessly setting up his design, only to have the grand finale over in a couple of seconds. As a result there's no time for any of the characters to be given their due.

Pitt and Clooney's performances look tired and lack their trademark sparkle. There's very little of the banter between them that brought life to the first two films. Many of the other performances are equally lackluster. At least you can't blame Eliot Gould (Reuben Tishkoff), still larger-than-life in his over-sized specs, who spends most of the movie comatose.

The film also suffers from the lack of a strong female lead. The only major female character (Abigail Sponder, played by Ellen Barkin) is on the wrong side, grasping and not overly bright. With characters from the first two films popping up all over the place, it's hard not to wonder why neither of the girls staged a return.

After greed and revenge have had their chance, it's nice to see the plot being driven this time by a more altruistic motive - the crew are seeking to redress the balance after Al Pacino's Willie Bank rips off Reuben and leaves him a broken man. Pacino is suitably hateful and driven; he and Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) are two peas in an unlovely pod. This time there are no unwitting victims, as everyone knows exactly what they're getting into.

Despite its flaws, the film manages to be fun and engaging and you won't regret watching it. As the plot twists unravel and the end game plays out, you will be impressed. "Ocean's 13" manages to end on a high note, but it struggles to get there.