---
title: "Ocean's Eight: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/oceans-eight/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/oceans-eight"
critics_score: 57
critics_reviews: 24
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ocean's Eight (2018): what the critics said

Critics' score 57 from 24 reviews: 10 positive, 6 mixed, 8 negative.

Most critics agree on the cast and little else. The reviews describe a pleasant, breezy heist that gets by on star power, and even the coldest notices concede the ensemble is easy company. Anne Hathaway is the name that recurs: several critics call her self-parodying film star the best thing on screen. Where the film is enjoyed, it is enjoyed as light escapism that sticks to the formula and does not pretend otherwise.

The split is wide, with nearly as many negative reviews as positive ones. The reservations cluster on Gary Ross’s direction, which many find flat next to Steven Soderbergh’s originals, and on a heist with no jeopardy and a third act that does not pay off. The British press is the harshest: The Guardian says it runs out of steam early, The Times finds no jokes in it, and Sight and Sound calls it closer to a luxury-brand advertisement than a caper.

## RogerEbert.com — Christy Lemire

Rating 3.5/4. 8 June 2018. 

The critic praises the film as a giddy, fizzy heist with a formidable female cast that makes a pointed statement about women sticking together. She singles out Anne Hathaway's inspired, controlled lunacy as the MVP performance while noting some supporting roles could have been better fleshed out.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/oceans-8-2018)

## Time Out — Tomris Laffly

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 2018. 

The critic praises the radiant cast, NYC groove and glossy entertainment value, noting it sticks to the formula but delivers satisfying jokes and a fun, mischievous spirit.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/oceans-8)

## Empire — Ian Freer

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 2018. 

The critic finds it a breezy, enjoyable heist film that sticks closely to the formula without raising stakes or innovating much. Praise is given to the strong cast chemistry and star power that make it a fun, likeable romp.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ocean-8-review/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 2018. 

The critic calls it an enjoyably slippery, lightweight heist that functions as a corrective on representation of women on screen. He singles out the determination to prove something as both its strength and limitation, praising the nifty surprises but noting it doesn't dazzle or linger.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-oceans-8-review-20180605-story.html)

## Variety — Owen Gleiberman

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2018. 

The critic finds it a casually winning heist movie that renders the gender-flip concept a borderline irrelevance and treats its female cast as a natural spin on the brand. He singles out Sandra Bullock's debauched insolence and the sly jokes around feminine wiles in the heist logistics for praise.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/oceans-8-review-sandra-bullock-1202830271/)

## Vulture — Emily Yoshida

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2018. 

The critic notes that Ocean’s 8 has plenty of charms but singles out Anne Hathaway’s meta, self-parodying performance as the movie star Daphne Kluger as the standout element that lights up the screen. She highlights Hathaway’s comedic timing and reclamation of feminine performance tropes.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/06/anne-hathaway-is-the-best-part-of-oceans-8.html)

## Radio Times — Emma Simmonds

Rating ★★★. 6 June 2018. 

The critic highlights the inspired, divine casting and genuine camaraderie as the film's strengths, calling the overall effect entertainingly empowered despite some script and direction shortcomings.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/oceans-8-film-review-entertainingly-empowered/)

## The Telegraph

Rating 3/5. 18 June 2018. 

The film assembles a strong all-female cast but forgets to deliver a satisfying heist plot or finale. The critic praises the performances, costumes, and music while complaining about the weak third act and lack of payoff.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/oceans-8-review-heist-caper-assembles-best-gang-imaginable-forgets/)

## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 8 June 2018. 

The critic calls it a mildly engaging riff on the heist film that rarely strays from the formula but praises the clever, suspenseful centerpiece heist sequence and the sly gender reversal. He complains that thin characters and a belabored finale make it feel clunky after the high point.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/oceans-8/)

## Little White Lies — David Jenkins

Rating 4/2/1. 16 June 2018. 

The critic calls it a crushing, zero-stakes heist caper that wastes its powerhouse cast with poor direction and writing, leaving only superficial mannequins.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/oceans-8)

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2018. 

The critic deems it a surprisingly flat gender-swap of a tired formula, with a promising cast mostly wasted in subdued, unremarkable roles and scenarios.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/oceans-8-review/5129832.article)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 7 June 2018. 

The critic finds the film isn't up to the talents of its stars, noting a central emptiness in the dramatic framework despite flashes of substance from the performers. He singles out the built-in problems of the heist genre in the digital age as a key complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/oceans-8-isnt-up-to-the-talents-of-its-female-stars)

## The Times — Tom Shone and Edward Porter

Rating ★★. 17 June 2018. 

Gary Ross's direction lacks the snap and pop of Steven Soderbergh's originals. The critic singles out Anne Hathaway's charming performance for praise while complaining that the film has no fun or jokes.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/film-review-ocean-s-8-the-happy-prince-oscar-wilde-studio-54-the-ciambra-02h9kpf88)

## Evening Standard — Matthew Norman

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2018. 

The critic argues the splendid all-star lineup deserves better than this mechanical effort that lacks jeopardy and tension despite some sparkle and escapism. The glib execution exposes it as underwhelming heist-flick zirconium.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/oceans-8-review-a-splendid-all-star-line-up-deserves-better-than-this-a3869371.html)

## Sight and Sound — Violet Lucca

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 19 June 2018. 

The critic finds the all-female heist caper disappointingly orthodox and formulaic, more like a glossy advertisement for luxury brands than a fun, empowering lark.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/oceans-eight-review-girls-just-wanna-have-bling)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 2018. 

The all-female spin-off on the Ocean's franchise quickly runs out of steam after a promising start. The critic singles out the lack of dramatic interest and tension in the heist plot for complaint, while noting some enjoyable moments from the cast and cameos.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jun/13/oceans-8-review-sandra-bullock-cate-blanchett-anne-hathaway)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 2018. 

The critic finds the film a self-satisfied exercise only occasionally as fun as it thinks it is. He praises the starry all-female cast, glamour, and timing but notes the lack of freshness, punch, and adventurous spirit under Gary Ross's direction.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/oceans-8-review-1116476/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating B+. 6 June 2018. 

The critic finds it a breezy, rewatchable heist film that delivers everything fans want from the series, with glamorous stars having fun committing a victimless crime. He singles out the strong ensemble cast—particularly Anne Hathaway lampooning celebrity and Sarah Paulson as a scene-stealing mom—for praise while noting Gary Ross keeps the pacing solid without Soderbergh's stylistic flair.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/oceans-8-review/)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2018. 

The critic praises the stylish female-led heist as fun summer escapist fare with clever twists and strong ensemble performances. Bullock and Blanchett lead effectively while Ross handles the franchise transition well.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2018/06/oceans-8-review-sandra-bullock-cate-blanchett-mindy-kaling-female-heist-franchise-1202404964/)

## Den of Geek — Rosie Fletcher

Rating 4 out of 5. 15 June 2018. 

The critic praises the joyful, fast-paced heist celebrating talented women with strong cast chemistry and a positive female portrayal. Some plot holes in the third act are noted but it remains a fun, escapist delight.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/oceans-8-review/)

## NME — Rhian Daly

Rating 4/5. 6 June 2018. 

A triumph with laugh-out-loud moments and standout performances from supporting cast members, though some reductive elements and distracting cameos are flagged. It feels like a success worth continuing the franchise.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/oceans-8-film-review-2333395)

## Digital Spy — Hugh Armitage

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 18 June 2018. 

The film delivers charm and glamour with a fabulous cast and witty script, but lacks peril and could have shone brighter overall. It is fun but not fantastic.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a859482/oceans-8-review-spoiler-free-cate-blanchett-sandra-bullock/)

## /Film — Josh Spiegel

Rating 6/10. 5 June 2018. 

The critic calls it a light, fluffy, and altogether pleasant heist flick that gets many elements of the subgenre right but stumbles in setting up an antagonist. The feminine ensemble's unforced chemistry is singled out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/558732/oceans-8-review/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 2018. 

The film is amiably slick and charming with a talented cast but feels like a wasted opportunity that never fully delivers on its potential. The ensemble carves out some deft comedic moments, especially Hathaway, while the heist mechanics are handled competently.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/oceans-8-film-review-sandra-bullock-cate-blanchett-rihanna/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/oceans-eight.md