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The cool dudes are back, this time in their familiar Las Vegas stomping grounds for Ocean’s Thirteen. And much as I was tempted to hate this movie with all these big Hollywood stars at it again, asking for our money— well, I couldn’t.

There is something to be said for a motion picture where it is obvious that the participants—George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and the rest— are having a blast making this picture. These guys are too busy having fun cleaning out the casinos in Vegas, settling old scores, wearing cool clothes and having a good time doing it. The enthusiasm of the cast is infectious. In fact, Pitt in particular seems to enjoy himself in a lot of movies that he makes. Mr. and Mrs. Smith was another good example of a movie he really seemed to get a kick out of doing (for different reasons– Angelina Jolie). He just seems to raise his game for these movies. Sure, it was more style than substance, but so what? That’s the reason we go see a movie like this.

The plot consists of Danny Ocean (Clooney) and the gang hoping to get even with Willie Bank (Al Pacino) after he rips the rug out from under their old pal Reuben (Elliott Gould). They decide to get even by raiding Bank’s new casino, dreaming up an elaborate plot to penetrate the ultra-air-tight security so they can enter the casino and beat the house at its own game without getting caught. To do this they enlist old foe Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) to help them “break” the “Bank”. Oh, by the way, Garcia wants these diamonds that are housed in the casino as well. Whether or not the gang really wants to help him get those is another question.

So the con is on. It’s the same fun stuff as before, with the usual scenes of guys plotting and pulling off a heist. You really have to suspend disbelief when you are watching them go about their business. For a Vegas casino with impenetrable security, this place sure has a lot of trouble keeping these guys out. The folks who run that casino have to be the dumbest people ever when it comes to securing the place. They allowed hidden cameras to get into the building so they could be spied on. The folks in charge seem completely incapable of conducting simple background screenings to prevent members of the Ocean gang from infiltrating the staff. The computer system seems especially easy to hack. Some “fortress” this is, folks! And now a different question— how easy do you think it is for anyone to clean out the tables of millions of dollars in a span of three minutes?

Still, the movie is so fast-paced and the music is great to listen to, and it’s Vegas, baby. If you like Las Vegas and gambling this is definitely your kind of movie. It’s not as if this is original stuff here. You get the same breezy, laid-back feeling and the same in-jokes that you come to expect from this franchise.

This movie is what it is, really. If you liked the two previous Ocean’s movies you will definitely like this one. If, on the other hand, you hate Hollywood and the star system, are fed up with Brangelina and are sick and tired of sequels generally, then I am sure you will find reasons to hate this movie. This Ocean’s franchise does look as though it is just on the verge of going off the cliff in a big way one of these days. How many different ways can these guys pull off heists before it gets stale? How many old scores are there left to settle? These are good questions.

This one did not go off the cliff for me and there are a few reasons for that. First, the return to the Vegas strip was a welcome one after spending the last movie gallivanting all over Europe. It was a return to the roots of the series, if you will, which was fresh in its own way. Second, Al Pacino has this uncanny ability to play the heavy with a wink and a nudge. You really do get the impression this guy is having lots of fun playing this uptight casino owner, so he really fits well into a movie like this.

Third, I am so happy to see Ellen Barkin in one of these Ocean’s movies, because she really is the coolest babe ever. She has Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones all beat in the “schwing!” department; she looks practically like Angie Dickinson up there. In fact I didn’t miss Julia Roberts one bit, surprising but true. I don’t know how old Ellen Barkin is but I gotta say she still rocks. All in all, this movie had great casting.

Yes, this movie is somewhat ridiculous and the plot is full of holes, but the bottom line is that it works. The familiar formula works— for now, anyway. Say what you want about Pitt and Clooney; it’s obvious they care way too much about this Ocean’s franchise to simply mail it in with a non-effort. Same for director Steven Soderbergh who has now directed three of these movies. They could all have easily chosen to take the money and run. Instead, they made another movie with a lot of style for the popcorn-eating crowd to enjoy.

This is why we will see an Ocean’s Fourteen. You can bet on it.