Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

"Jail was the best thing that ever happened to me," says filmic icon Gordon Gekko in a scene from Wall Street 2, the anticipated sequel to Oliver Stone's masterfully orchestrated, era-defining 1987 drama. "It got me to think," he then adds. Well, Mr. Gekko, you really need to stop thinking, because it looks like time in the joint doing just that has somewhat crippled your stance as a beloved cult character and cultural symbol of the '80s.

In the beginning of Money Never Sleeps, the corporate criminal - played again by Michael Douglas - is being released from prison after having served an eight-year sentence following his sneaky business in the original flick. Upon leaving, he's handed his brick-sized cell phone as a showing of how times have changed since he was a king of the financial world. It seems he has changed as well.

Gekko has softened during his prison time, his wicked grin and fast-talking, quick-thinking, sharp-eyed demeanor all but gone; he is no longer the cash-devouring shark he once was. Instead we have a not-so-memorable smart alec with hints of coolness here and there, but annoyingly not through and through. He's a changed man, his villainous role in the former film shaped into more of an anti-hero, finalising in a lackluster and underused appearance. And while hints of his nasty, scheming behaviour pop up near the end, I was still left scratching my head at where the real Gordon Gekko was.

Seven years after his release, his long-estranged daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), is going out with young and ambitious trader Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf), who works for Keller Zabel Investments. Cigar-chomping asshole Bretton James (Josh Brolin) decides to take over the company, causing Jake's elderly mentor, Louis Zabel (a brilliant Frank Langella), to commit suicide by jumping in front of a moving train.

Jake seeks out Gekko - who is promoting his new book on the impending financial crisis, entitled "Is Greed Good?" - and tells him of his intentions to marry his daughter, before discussing what has happened with Zabel. Gekko is convinced to help Jake get revenge on Bretton and to tie up his relationship with his long-unseen daughter, who is stubborn in her neglecting of him.

Unlike its highly praised, now-classic predecessor, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps feels a bit more mainstream than it should. The charm that came so naturally to the original has faded into a faint blur here, smudged by a big-budget atmosphere that partially lacks in an absorbing charisma. While I wouldn't go so far as to say I disliked the film, the feeling of disappointment was nevertheless kicking me in the shins throughout.

Douglas' performance is amiable and undoubtedly the best on display, but he is not much to invest your life savings in. He may have won an Oscar for the famous role back in '88, but his work here falls fairly short of that esteemed level, failing to achieve the sheer altitude of greatness he set 23 years ago.

His interaction with LaBeouf is also not as striking as it was with Charlie Sheen in the original's similar role, the social effects they have on each another oddly absent for the most part. The Transformers star is fine in the position, as is his on-screen girlfriend, Mulligan, but more noteworthy characters could have fully sealed the deal for them as our leading couple.

As the egocentric villain, Brolin is appropriately hateable and makes for a passable, snide antagonist. He's not a killer, he's not devilishly evil, he is just an immoral and corrupt Wall Street player, his arrogant attitude fuelling a desire from us for him to be taken down.

Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff are our two writers, clearly taking inspiration from the majestically piercing screenplay of the '87 flick, which was written by Stanley Weiser and Stone himself. While I'd say that it's not very subtle in its striving for constant one-liners, it is a catchy and lively script that keeps the film's entertainment account running.

Stone directs with astute confidence, his distinct camerawork similar to that of the film's predecessor. He beautifully shoots establishing shots of New York City with Talking Heads' greatest hits blaring out from the screen. Stone's a pro and - while I had a problem with the use of some split-screens and a random circle popping up in the middle of the frame, containing a woman's talking face - he knows what he's doing.

To compare it to the original, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is a bitter mishap; but as a film in and of itself, it's okay. It no doubt could have been crafted a heck of a lot better with stronger characters and more emphasis on Douglas, but for what it is, it ain't a disaster. It just needs the old Gordon Gekko back. Y'know. The evil one.

6/10