The great thing about history is that it always has the ability to surprise. Take World War II. With all the hundreds of films made about it, you would think that we've learnt pretty much all you need to know. Apparently not.

Having read Robert Edsel's 2009 book The Monuments Men, George Clooney decided to bring this fascinating true World War II tale to the big screen, as both director and star.

It's 1944 and World War II is drawing to an end. Throughout the span of the war, Hitler had many of his soldiers plunder great works of significant art whenever they could, meaning that by the war's end, they had stockpiled a veritable treasure trove from the art world.

Although the allies now had old Hitler on the run, American art historian Frank Stokes (Clooney) pleaded with his president that despite the advantage, a huge collection of important works of art could be lost forever if nothing was done about it. He proposed that a team should go to Europe and attempt to salvage some of these priceless artefacts before it was too late.

Given the president's approval, Stoke sets about putting together a crack team of art historians who know their stuff and who are also prepared to put their lives on the line for art's sake, as they rummage their way through war-torn Europe.

The only way I'm gonna get out of this war is if I send my self home piece by piece. Maybe I shouldn't have started with my feet though...

Clooney, the director, is becoming an old hand at getting behind the camera for historical dramas with this title following in the tracks of Good Night, and Good Luck and Leatherheads, as well as marking his sixth entry as a director. His eye for historical detail certainly continues, but sadly he takes his other eye off of the ball as far as the script is concerned.

Initially it looks like Clooney has just done a retro version of Ocean's Eleven with an elite band, starring Matt Damon, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin and Cate Blanchett, and although they're returning lost art instead of stealing it, it's a familiar template.

Although it certainly looks the biz, and even sounds the biz with a satisfyingly retro soundtrack that gives it that authentic war film feeling, its script isn't up to scratch. Its dialogue is disappointingly average which certainly lets down all the larger than life characters involved. Its pace is also all too pedestrian throughout, with no real set pieces to leave you in awe.

Considering how fascinating the material is and the talented cast on board, there was an opportunity to produce something genuinely special. Clooney, somewhat surprisingly, just hasn't done the source material justice and has produced something decidedly average. There was also the chance to re-invent the war genre, which he also neglected to do.

It's by no means a bad film, but you just feel with all those involved, it never comes close to reaching its priceless potential.