Jason KingWall St 2: Money Never Sleeps (3/10)
September 22nd 2010 21:38
:
Possibly the Worst Sequel Ever Made
Category: Reviews
REPOSTED AS RELEASES THIS MORNING.
I don't know where to begin with this film. When the screening finished on Friday night Sammy asked me what I thought - "I am not happy, I am not a fan" was my response. Sammy, Dave and Thommo all looked like they were into it and enjoying the film while I sighed and moved from ass cheek to ass cheek in my frustration and I did not want to rain on their parade of enjoyment - but I got a surprise - none of them enjoyed it. Sammy was so angry after the film he was inconsolable. I only got him to watch the first film this year - telling him it is one of the greatest films he will watch and he should buy it. He did and has watched it a few times, even the day of the screening of the sequel - he, and all of us, could not believe it's fine reputation as a stand alone film has been decimated by this atrocity.
Set in New York City, the film takes place 20 years after the original, revolving around the 2008 stock market crash. The film's plot mainly centers around Gekko acting as more of an anti-hero rather than a villain and follows his attempts to help Wall Street before its soon-to-be stock market crash as well as trying to repair his relationship with his daughter Winnie with the help of Jacob, Winnie's fiance. In return, Gekko helps Jacob get revenge on the man he blames for his mentor's death.
What surprises me most about this film is that 90% of reviews I read of this film are raving about how good it is. It is normally the other way around, I am the one who loves film all the other reviewers and critics loathe - what has gone on here - has the world gone mental?
Oliver Stone has gone too commercial and mainstream in this one. The film looks slick with some great cinema visuals but like I said to Dave prior to the screening when discussing Book of Eli, "You can still make shit look good". There is some appalling CSI styled explanations with graphics explaining fusion and the stock market, and even more hideous double and triple framed shots with overlays of what other people are saying or doing, that is done well in 24, but not in this. It was a sell out I thought and a cheap way to achieve a goal. I also found that the explanations given to the way the stock market is operating, while close to the current climate and that of the crash, will be too confusing to the general public and will bore them.
All the actors looked bored to me, Micheal Douglas is in the film way less than I was expecting and has lost the Gordn Gekko mojo. Like Sammy said "It is as though they made a film about Wall St and at the last moment decided to rewrite it to include Gordon Gekko and to move the film towards making a sequel of the first film". I could not agree more. Gekko is a washout and lacked that killer instinct from the first film. Sure, he comes across as a slow operator in this film who gets his revenge but it wasn't in the style you would imagine Gekko achieving it.
Shia is one of my more enjoyable actors to watch onscreen however I just didn't enjoy him in this film. This is the first film I have seen Carey Mulligan in and I did not enjoy her moping and crying throughout this entire film. Michael Douglas had this feel every time he came onscreen - you thought something amazing was about to happen and he was going to shine, and yet everytime he disappointed - it even felt like he wasn't keen on playing Gekko again. Shame, shame shame - I love Michael Douglas and Gordon Gekko. Josh Brolin is boring and lacked the menace and evilness we needed and Susan Sarandon was superb, although completely unneccessary in this film. I did really enjoy Charlie Sheen's cameo although his altruism had faded and he had sold out to join the greedy ranks of money. We all enjoyed Frank Langella as Jake's mentor however he is not in the film very long after jumping in front of a train at the same time I was considering doing the same thing.
There is abundant product placement in this film - most notably are Heineken and a pretty decent scene using Ducatis. I do have to say I loved Shia's Ducati jacket and he looks damn fine in it
.
Things I have said since seeing this film include: "It doesn't deserve Wall St in the title", "Gordon Gekko should have been allowed to die in jail", "It is the Godfather part 3" and so on. I am so shocked at this film. What was a story of brilliant simplicity in Wall St and things like Star Wars or The Godfather gets ruined in sequels by over complicating things and spending too much time explaining back stories and things in general.
I am very disappointed and I actually feel personally hurt by this film and what it has done to the reputation of the first one.
It is releasing on September 23rd after a 10month delay in release. I hope you love it and get more out of it more than myself or my friends. For a film I have been anticipating for ages it sourly disappoints.
I don't know where to begin with this film. When the screening finished on Friday night Sammy asked me what I thought - "I am not happy, I am not a fan" was my response. Sammy, Dave and Thommo all looked like they were into it and enjoying the film while I sighed and moved from ass cheek to ass cheek in my frustration and I did not want to rain on their parade of enjoyment - but I got a surprise - none of them enjoyed it. Sammy was so angry after the film he was inconsolable. I only got him to watch the first film this year - telling him it is one of the greatest films he will watch and he should buy it. He did and has watched it a few times, even the day of the screening of the sequel - he, and all of us, could not believe it's fine reputation as a stand alone film has been decimated by this atrocity.
Set in New York City, the film takes place 20 years after the original, revolving around the 2008 stock market crash. The film's plot mainly centers around Gekko acting as more of an anti-hero rather than a villain and follows his attempts to help Wall Street before its soon-to-be stock market crash as well as trying to repair his relationship with his daughter Winnie with the help of Jacob, Winnie's fiance. In return, Gekko helps Jacob get revenge on the man he blames for his mentor's death.
What surprises me most about this film is that 90% of reviews I read of this film are raving about how good it is. It is normally the other way around, I am the one who loves film all the other reviewers and critics loathe - what has gone on here - has the world gone mental?
Oliver Stone has gone too commercial and mainstream in this one. The film looks slick with some great cinema visuals but like I said to Dave prior to the screening when discussing Book of Eli, "You can still make shit look good". There is some appalling CSI styled explanations with graphics explaining fusion and the stock market, and even more hideous double and triple framed shots with overlays of what other people are saying or doing, that is done well in 24, but not in this. It was a sell out I thought and a cheap way to achieve a goal. I also found that the explanations given to the way the stock market is operating, while close to the current climate and that of the crash, will be too confusing to the general public and will bore them.
All the actors looked bored to me, Micheal Douglas is in the film way less than I was expecting and has lost the Gordn Gekko mojo. Like Sammy said "It is as though they made a film about Wall St and at the last moment decided to rewrite it to include Gordon Gekko and to move the film towards making a sequel of the first film". I could not agree more. Gekko is a washout and lacked that killer instinct from the first film. Sure, he comes across as a slow operator in this film who gets his revenge but it wasn't in the style you would imagine Gekko achieving it.
Shia is one of my more enjoyable actors to watch onscreen however I just didn't enjoy him in this film. This is the first film I have seen Carey Mulligan in and I did not enjoy her moping and crying throughout this entire film. Michael Douglas had this feel every time he came onscreen - you thought something amazing was about to happen and he was going to shine, and yet everytime he disappointed - it even felt like he wasn't keen on playing Gekko again. Shame, shame shame - I love Michael Douglas and Gordon Gekko. Josh Brolin is boring and lacked the menace and evilness we needed and Susan Sarandon was superb, although completely unneccessary in this film. I did really enjoy Charlie Sheen's cameo although his altruism had faded and he had sold out to join the greedy ranks of money. We all enjoyed Frank Langella as Jake's mentor however he is not in the film very long after jumping in front of a train at the same time I was considering doing the same thing.
There is abundant product placement in this film - most notably are Heineken and a pretty decent scene using Ducatis. I do have to say I loved Shia's Ducati jacket and he looks damn fine in it
.Things I have said since seeing this film include: "It doesn't deserve Wall St in the title", "Gordon Gekko should have been allowed to die in jail", "It is the Godfather part 3" and so on. I am so shocked at this film. What was a story of brilliant simplicity in Wall St and things like Star Wars or The Godfather gets ruined in sequels by over complicating things and spending too much time explaining back stories and things in general.
I am very disappointed and I actually feel personally hurt by this film and what it has done to the reputation of the first one.
It is releasing on September 23rd after a 10month delay in release. I hope you love it and get more out of it more than myself or my friends. For a film I have been anticipating for ages it sourly disappoints.
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Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Cheers,
Deni
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Curious that you describe the sequel as being too commercial. Wasn't the original very slick and commercial? It was about greed and power. Apart from shameless product placement ...
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
I did see the first Wall Street and I liked it. Like Bryn, at some point Oliver Stone just didn't appeal to me anymore. I really liked Platoon and I think I liked The Doors (I have to see it again, it's been a while) but after that - the magic was gone I'm afraid.
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Jason King
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Maybe my words weren't chosen accurately - the first one was a commercial success and was very slick but it still stuck to a simple story of greed and good versus bad, with universal appeal. This one is a just a film and script thrown in a washing machine with the first film. It is a hideous sequel and I wish I never saw it.
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Horrorphile
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Screen Adventure
Comment by Jason King
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