Ocean’s 8 review round-up: Anne Hathaway is 'secret comedic weapon' in franchise's 'most satisfying installment'

For some, the all-female heist caper Ocean’s 8 is a strike at the heart of male-dominated Hollywood. For others, it’s pure summer escapism. Starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson and Awkwafina, the spin-off version of the 2001 Ocean’s Eleven franchise has raised the stakes for women seeking to reverse power dynamics in Hollywood. _Also read: As Ocean's 8 shows, Hollywood is in speed-mode to make up for its sins; is it working?_ [caption id=“attachment_4502417” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Anne Hathaway (L) and Helena Bonham Carter in Ocean’s 8. Warner Bros.[/caption] The Warner Bros. movie, opening in US theaters on Friday, tells the story of Debbie Ocean (Bullock), who upon her release from prison puts together a team of female crooks to steal a $150 million necklace during New York City’s annual Met Gala. Ocean’s 8 is expected to take a healthy $30-$40 million on its opening weekend in North America, according to box office analysts, despite mixed reviews. IGN’s William Bibbiani said: “Ocean’s 8 is the most satisfying installment in the franchise. The all-star cast is impeccable, the shift in focus yields sharp insights, and the heist itself is wily and enjoyable. What the film lacks in suspense it makes up for in style, and that style has undeniable substance.” Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called it “a gender-flipped sequel that not only works just fine, but renders the whole novelty of the concept a borderline irrelevance.” Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers said: “A heist caper that looks gorgeous, keeps the twists coming and bounces along on a comic rhythm that’s impossible to resist. What more do you want in summer escapism?” Vulture film critic Emily Yoshidi, by contrast, said that although the movie was seen as “symbolic balm for all the ills of a male-dominated Hollywood,” the finished version “doesn’t feel like much more than a thrown bone.” USA Today’s Brian Truitt remarked that “the plot plods until the crew gets together and the movie unleashes its secret comedic weapon: Anne Hathaway.” Benjamin Lee of The Guardian was more critical, saying: “The lifeless direction, the unrefined script, the underwhelming cameos, the distinct lack of fizz – there’s a slapdash nature to the assembly of Ocean’s 8 that makes it feel like the result of a rushed, often careless process.” Ocean’s 8 releases in India on 22 June_._ _Also watch: Final Ocean's 8 trailer introduces eight major characters and their hilarious backstories_

With inputs from Reuters