This idea is crystalized brilliantly in sequel's opening moments as Gekko steps out of prison after serving a bid for insider trading, tax evasion, and whatever other white collar crimes you can think of. He steps into a world where it seems like everyone can be a millionaire. His formerly exclusive club isn't so exclusive anymore. But Wall Street is still Wall Street. It's evil, greedy, and ripe to be taken down a peg. Gekko, seemingly reformed, has seen the damage his take-no-prisoners attitude has caused. All alone, he decides not to start raiding corporations again, but to raid the personal life of his estranged daughter, Winnie(Carey Mulligan) through her naive but aggressive stock trading boyfriend, Jake(Shia Labeouf).
Jake isn't too much different from Bud Fox, the up 'n coming broker mentored by Gekko in the original film. Taking on Gekko as a sort of mentor in the art of corporate vengeance, Jake is seeking retribution against those responsible for the downfall of his former boss's(Frank Langella) company, which crashed and burned thanks to secrets whispered by ruthless hedge fund manager, Bretton James(Josh Brolin). Despite Winnie's warning that getting involved with her father would be dangerous, Jake is more than willing to learn Gekko's tricks of the trade whatever the cost may be.
Oliver Stone has never once been known for his subtlety. He's not a director who specializes in fine nuance. Wall Street 2 might be the polar opposite of the original in terms of spirit, but in execution they are one and the same. Twenty years ago, Gekko represented a full throated endorsement of Reagan era economics. Now it's blatantly obvious that Stone has softened his stance a bit, pushing the idea that greed isn't just a bad idea, it's downright dangerous. He accomplishes this with his usual tendency to overload his films with information. Personally I don't know an economic bubble from a stick of Bubble Yum™, and as Stone fills the screen with pop-up windows and stock exchange tickers I was even more confused. A subplot involving seawater energy production could've been left on the cutting room floor.
The film's most obvious strength has little to do with numbers, but with the actors involved. Carey Mulligan continues to prove that her Oscar nomination for An Education
won't be the last time she receives such acclaim. She is the film's true emotional core, and the few scenes she has opposite Douglas are intense. She is a grounding force turning what could've been a bland girlfriend role into one with real strength. Labeouf, as usual, is a blank slate. It won't be often that somebody will beg for the acting prowess of Charlie Sheen to give a role some spark(keep an eye out for a cool cameo). Labeouf isn't terrible. He's just unremarkable, and hopelessly outgunned opposite these heavyweights. Frank Langella could find himself in line for a supporting nomination for his scenes as Jake's beleaguered ex-mentor.Even though Jake is clearly the centerpiece of the story, this is really all about Gekko. He's who we really came back to see. Michael Douglas fits into the role like a glove, as if he never took off the perfectly tailored suit in all those years. His performance is fiery and snapping, but restrained when called for. In a few scenes it's clear he's channeling some of his earlier roles in Wonder Boys and Solitary Man, as Gekko mixes in a few bits of armchair psychology with his dirty scheming.
Wall Street 2 is more of a story about family and broken relationships than it is about money markets and hedge funds. When it focuses on the tenuous bond between the three central characters it excels. The running time could probably be trimmed a bit. Two hours and ten minutes is a bit much.
Chances are a lot of younger folks will ignore this film because Gekko is such an icon of a time long since passed. Those who remember Wall Street(whether for good or ill) will be treated to a very satisfying, if a little indulgent, sequel that pays respect to its predecessor.
