Ocean's Eleven 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Ocean's Eleven 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

The gang's all here.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 26, 2024

Steven Soderbergh's immensely popular Ocean's Trilogy was comprised of three separate star-studded films: Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen, all released between 2001-07. They were early format releases for Blu-ray and, as such, featured now-dated VC-1 transfers and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Now several decades later, they've finally gotten the go-ahead to 4K UHD courtesy of Warner Bros., who brought in the director to supervise these new 2160p/HDR10 transfers. The audio has also received a courtesy bump to DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio and the extras are largely sourced from the Ocean's Trilogy Collection, which included a bonus disc. All three films are available in either the forthcoming Ocean's Trilogy 4K set or separately via three more expensive stand-alone 4K Steelbook releases.

Yep, three.

The first -- and in most circles, best -- film in the bunch is Ocean's Eleven, a terrific caper and extremely entertaining remake of the classic 1960 "Rat Pack" film. For a synopsis of Soderbergh's successful take on Ocean's Eleven, please see either Jeffrey Kauffman's review of WB's 2008 Blu-ray or Marty Liebman's coverage of the 2007 boxed set.

Ocean's Eleven 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from the earlier Blu-ray edition and are for decorative purposes only.

The recent 4K release of Steven Soderbergh's Contagion almost immediately put to rest any major concerns regarding his future back catalog -- unlike, say, James Cameron -- and Ocean's Eleven reinforces that with a clean, crisp, and impressive 2160p/HDR10 (no Dolby Vision, sorry) transfer that comfortably outpaces the older VC-1 Blu-ray. Both were overseen by the director at Warner Bros. Discovery's Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) facility, and the same holds true for the other two films in this trilogy. Back in 2001 Ocean's Eleven was seen as a fresh endeavor that nonetheless featured many of Soderbergh's trademark visual flourishes, including occasional use of deep color filtering to establish mood in specific locations like the opening prison sequence. This is preserved nicely and only part of what makes the film's new HDR grade work so well, as it looks quite a bit more natural than the older Blu-ray and obviously earlier home video releases; that early scene (and future similar ones) aren't quite as cold and it's now more coolly blue than cyan, but the intent hasn't been compromised. Obviously, though, the color palette varies quite a bit during this breezy production, with much warmer tones on display including under the bright lights of Las Vegas and sunny exterior locations such as the greyhound racing track. So while image detail, textures, black levels, and contrast are all at or above expectations, colors lead the charge here and show of the UHD format's obvious advantages over earlier formats.

Almost everything else about this transfer plays just as smoothly, from the aforementioned uptick in fine detail to overall disc encoding, which grants Ocean's Eleven a consistently healthy bit rate and no glaring artifacts or related imperfections aside from occasional trace levels of shimmering during some of the busier Vegas exterior shorts. But it's such a solid, stable, and precise presentation that most won't be able to find fault at all, as its marriage of ultra-clean visuals and light but perceivable grain make this a solid-looking presentation that die-hard fans will enjoy.

Ocean's Eleven 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Not to be outdone is WB's DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix, which replaces the earlier Blu-ray's lossy Dolby Digital track by a decent margin. In their recent press release, Warner Bros. indicated that this new effort was overseen by original re-recording sound mixer and sound editor Larry Blake; like the transfer, it's a more polished and refined version of "what came before" rather than a complete overhaul. That's great news in my book: while a Dolby Atmos mix might've been fun to hear, I'd almost always prefer the genuine article to a questionable remix, and without a doubt this is a crisp and impressive mix that nonetheless feels true to its source with clear dialogue, well-placed background effects, occasional discrete and rear activity, and plenty of room left over for the throwback score and soundtrack. This is a quality effort for sure, even though in most circles it'll get overshadowed by the new visual presentation.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature and all applicable extras below.

Ocean's Eleven 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

As seen above, this this Steelbook packaging is meant to mimic a deck of cards and it's a handsome design that looks great-in hand. The details unique to this film are appreciated and it gives off a classy, elegant vibe for an image that's basically monochromatic. Inside is a group photo of the key players and the 4K disc features a similar printed design. My only minor complaint is that the exterior is a bit too glossy; something closer to matte or semi-gloss would have felt more accurate to the "playing card" aesthetic. It's still a fine-looking release and suits the film perfectly.

The on-disc bonus features largely mirror those found on WB's 2014 Ocean's Trilogy Collection; though a handful of minor legacy extras are missing in action, a few retrospective ones created for that never collection's bonus disc are intact (others are paired with the other two films). See Michael Reuben's linked review for more details.

• Audio Commentary #1 with director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Ted Griffin

• Audio Commentary #2 with actors Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and Brad Pitt

• Are You In or Out?: The Making of Ocean's Eleven (28:10)

• Pros and Cons: Inside Ocean's Outfit (13:02)

• The Style of Steal (10:49)

• The Look of the Con (9:40)

• Original Ocean's, Original Cool (13:59)

Ocean's Eleven 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven is a breezy, entertaining caper with star power to spare, and even holds up on its own if you're not as interested in either sequel. That's also the main reason this 4K Steelbook stands out: it's the only way (for now) to get this film by itself, and by those terms it's a well-rounded disc with strong A/V merits and several solid legacy extras. The price may keep some away, but die-hard fans and packaging collectors will find it impossible to resist. The more budget-minded should instead opt for the comparatively affordable Ocean's Trilogy 4K set.