So those hoping for a savage takedown of the system that broke America will leave Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
as disappointed as a Lehman Brothers shareholder, as this proves to
merely be a family drama played out against a backdrop of solid
money. Still, maybe director Oliver Stone is telling us
that money doesn't really matter (so long as you have millions in a
trust fund) - it's family that's important. That's
certainly a sentiment that drives the plot, as ex‑con Gordon Gekko
(Michael Douglas) tries to get back in the good graces of his daughter
(Carey Mulligan) while her Wall Street fiance (Shia LaBeouf) clashes
with a business rival (Josh Brolin) who he blames for the suicide of
his mentor. Oliver Stone's created a film that's undeniably energetic, but not always in a good way...
Some
of his visual metaphors are so ham-fisted (kids are playing with soap
bubbles while characters talk about the "bubble" economy) are
laughable, but it's the same kind of laboured points his stock market
salespeople use to try and sell investors on stocks.
So maybe, just maybe, Stone is using the same approach to get us to "buy" what he's selling? Even so, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
clearly lacks the clarity and satire of the original (no clear-cut
tussle between good and evil here), but survives thanks to solid
performances and a clear sense of its own iconography.
When
Gekko finally gets to slick his hair back 80's style it's like watching
Clint Eastwood ride into town with a sixgun on his hip. DVD Special Features
Despite years of hype, Wall Street 2
hit cinemas when the thirst for it was at an all time low. That
probably explains why the film made a paultry $50M in it's home town.
However, a worldwide haul of $130M more than made up for it's hefty
$70M price tag.
The DVD / Blu Ray release includes the following
Commentary by Director Oliver Stone, as well as A Conversation with
Oliver Stone and the Cast of Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps.
Wait for the double pack...
Conclusion - Movie: 80% Extras: 60%
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