Wall Street 2 : Money Never Sleeps.... movie review

Emerging from a lengthy prison stint, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) finds himself on the outside of a world he once dominated.  Looking to repair his damaged relationship with his daughter, Gekko forms an alliance with her fiance Jacob (Shia LaBeouf), and Jacob begins to see him as a father figure.  But Jacob learns the hard way that Gekko -- still a master manipulator and player -- is after something very different from redemption.

I was expecting this for quite some time now.  And I was really eager how this would play out considering we have brought back Michael Douglas to reprise the role of Gordon Gekko, an idol of his time and jailed because of insider trading.  And 2 more top caliber actors in the names of Josh Brolin and Frank Langella, and a teen actor on his prime, Shia LaBeouf (Transformers).

I was invited by 20th Century Fox to the advance screening last Sept. 23, the movie was a little more than 2 hours, and I admit that there were some terms used that I was not familiar with since I was not in the stock market sector and even though I do invest in some stocks, I let my broker do the dirty work for me.  So basically I am very new to this stuff.

The story revolves around the great stock market fall and bail out of 2008.  How the US government used their national treasury to bail out companies so that the economy would not fail, they do clearly show that all of it was caused by wrong speculations and the economy can be prone to manipulations of certain individuals which may lead to bankruptcies take for example with the case of Lehman Brothers.

I personally liked the story line which is totally not connected to the first movie except for Mr. Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) himself.  It did have its moments with a special cameo appearance from a familiar face in the first movie.  I did feel that the movie was a little dragging, I would not doubt the direction of the great Oliver Stone (Director), but I felt he was just trying to match the first movie which he also directed.

By the way the first movie came out in 1987, in case you might want to research on it.  If you have watched the first film good for you, actually I just finished it a few minutes ago and I would say I like the first film better with regards to the storyline, that is why this review took a while longer since I wanted to get the feel of the first movie before I comment on the new one showing this September 29.

If you do have time get rental or maybe you have a copy of the 1st movie in your shelves do take time to view it one more time before heading to the cinema for this new one, trust me it helps.  I recommend this movie to the thinkers, it has its twists and turns, and yes deceptions and manipulations, you are always left guessing what will happen next.  Anyways hope you do watch this at your favorite cinemas brought to us by 20th Century Fox.

Thank you 20th Century Fox for this advanced screening and to Ms. Mae.

Oliver Stone lashes at Institutionlized sharks of Wall Street

Michael Douglas is back in his Oscar®-winning role as Gordon Gekko whose iconic “Greed is good” mantra and daring corporate raids made him a rock star of financial titans.  No longer the king of Wall Street, Gekko emerges from Federal prison after serving eight years.   While away, his wife has divorced him, his son has died, and his one remaining family member, his daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan), won’t speak to him.

Resolute to win back the love of his daughter and determined to reestablish his position as Wall Street’s most powerful broker – Gekko joins forces with Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf) who is engaged to Winnie. Jake personifies the brilliant technologically savvy individuals who by 2008 were making millions before they turned thirty.  Gekko uses Jake to gain access to Winnie – and Jake seeks Gekko’s advice in gaining the upper hand over Bretton James, a ruthless investment banker whom Jake holds responsible for his mentor and firm’s destruction.

Gekko’s imprisonment taught him many lessons, says Douglas.  “He’s had a lot of time to think. He can see much more clearly.  He’s bearish on what’s been transpiring in the world of finance.  Gekko is able to look at the problems objectively and he can see how screwed we are.”

When Gekko is released from prison, he is determined to reestablish his position as a Wall Street’s most powerful broker.  But he’s looking for more than re-accumulating vast sums of money; “Gekko wants to be acknowledged,” Douglas explains.  “It’s one of the reasons he’s written a book.”

Shia LaBeouf in Wall Street 2 : Money Never Sleeps

Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf)  may be worth millions at a ludicrously young age but he is also keen to do some good in the world by investing in green energy amid a fascinating world intoxicated by the sheer thrill of as much money as possible.

In Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” LaBeouf’s Jake is a honest trader who gets embroiled in ominous financial dealings that is bound to spin dangerously out of control.  With Michael Douglas’ Award-wining role Gordon Gekko out of prison and Josh Brolin’s Breton James, “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” multiplies greed and avarice where there is no such thing as ‘enough.’

“Wall Street 2” steers Jake Moore (LaBeouf), a smart young proprietary trader into making millions at the venerable Keller Zabel Investments, run by Louis Zabel (Frank Langella), Jake’s mentor.  Jake’s girlfriend, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), meanwhile, is supportive of his drive – fueled by an idealism she finds lacking in her father Gordon – to invest in green energy.  A wave of rumors that Keller Zabel is stuck with billions in toxic debt causes the company’s stock price to suddenly nose-dive, and Louis Zabel is forced to fight for his company’s life.  When the government refuses a bail-out, Bretton James (Josh Brolin), a ruthless billionaire and master manipulator, arranges a takeover of Keller Zabel for a fraction of its worth. This move then propels Jake to avenge his losses by finally forging an unlikely alliance with Gordon.

The Women of Wall Street, coming this September

Esquire – In the original Wall Street, the part of Darien Taylor, Bud Fox’s (Charlie Sheen) girlfriend and Gekko’s ex “was not well developed.”  Michael Douglas who plays Gekko (“Wall Street 1 and 2”) would later say that Daryl Hannah’s casting caused problems. Hannah wasn’t happy playing the materialistic social climber, and director Oliver Stone’s tough approach to her performance upset her.  While Douglas bagged an Oscar for his performance, Hannah won a Razzie for worst Supporting Actress.

            In the new movie, “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps” which opens worldwide this September, Oscar-nominated Cary Mulligan plays Winnie, Gordon Gekko’s estranged daughter and girlfriend of Shia LaBeouf’s Jake Moore

Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps showing on Sept. 29