Reviewed by Kate Rodger
Wall Street. Gordon Gekko. “Lunch is for wimps”, "Greed is good", an Oscar-winning ‘80’s sensation. So do we need a sequel? Michael Douglas and Oliver Stone say we do.
It’s been over 20 years since we last watch Gordon Gekko get his dues, he became a Wall Street icon in the process and earned Michael Douglas his second Oscar. Life hasn’t been kind to Gekko since then, but maybe he’s done his time? Maybe he realizes there is more to life than money? Or maybe not.
While Gekko would always be key to this sequel, mirroring his character is a young, hungry Wall Street trader called Jacob. Gekko sees himself in Jacob, but that’s not all they have in common. Jacob’s in love with Gekko’s estranged daughter Winnie.
Freshening up the story was an imperative, as was widening the appeal for a younger audience. Shia LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan are perfectly cast, their off-screen romance lending credibility to their onscreen chemistry.
Director Oliver Stone sets this new Wall Street on the cusp of the recent economic meltdown. He’s made his new hero Jacob one of the good guys, or at least he seems to be. We saw how persuasive and corruptive Gordon Gekko can be, can that pinstriped leopard ever change his spots?
The support cast here is all class. Oscar nominees Josh Brolin and Frank Langella play alter egos, both obscenely wealthy Wall Street traders, both sinking into the horrors of an economic collapse they both helped create. And if you’re wondering whether there are any nostalgic cameos? Well perhaps you should head along for a look and find out.
For hardcore fans of Wall Street be warned, this revisitation lacks the bite and edge of its predecessor, it’s softer round the edges, more New Hollywood. But perhaps armed with that information, your time with Gekko may still bring much cinematic joy.
Four stars.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
:: Director: Oliver Stone
:: Starring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan and Frank Langella
:: Running Time: 133 mins
:: Rating: M - Contains Low Level Offensive Language
:: Release Date: September 23, 2010
:: Trailer: Watch here
