[6.00/10] Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

Wall Street:
Money Never Sleeps (2010)

Twenty three years after the original "Wall Street" movie, acclaimed director, Oliver Stone, delivers a decent sequel, that unfolds around Gordon Gekko, who two decades after being imprisoned for insider trading is set free, profiting on his infamy as an author and public speaker. At a time when the market is crumbling and those working on Wall Street are scrambling to catch a break, Gekko is approached by Jacob, a young trader looking for Gekko’s guidance. "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" deals with the global recession and how it reflects on Wall Street stock market, which is a very current subject at this moment, since this financial crisis is surging the whole world. And while the world struggles with recession, Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" sequel suffers from other problems, like a slightly confusing narrative, an overwritten script and lackluster editing. However, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" is never boring, thanks to a solid acting from the entire cast, interesting characters and brisk dialogues. Since, this sequel is more charactar-driven, the performances are film's main strength. Michael Douglas steals the show every time he's given screen time - he's charismatic and truly captivating as the manipulative Gekko. Shia LaBeouf is one of my favorite 'young generation' actors - he's so energetic and so emotional as an actor, he's always a pleasure to watch. Plus, the on-screen chemistry between Douglas and LaBeouf is undeniebly strong. Carey Mulligan was absolutely amazing in "An Education", but here as Gekko's daughter, she's is.. well... pretty average. Susan Sarandon proves yet again what an incredible actress she is, as she totally shines here, despite the minor role she was given. Stone's directing is typically good, yet a bit unfocused, and the cinematography is top-notch - the amazing sweeping shots of stunning Manhattan give the film an extremely slick, stylish and expensive look. "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" may be 'too much talking and not enough action', but it's nicely-shot, well-acted and fairly gripping sequel, that somehow satisfies.