Once the credits roll at the end of the sequel to Wall Street (aptly-titled Money Never Sleeps) - even before that, actually - two things are painfully obvious.
Oliver Stone is probably an atheist, for starters.
And, the critic from the Rolling Stone - Peter Travers - is either a clueless dolt or taking graft from grateful filmmakers..
Indeed.
The Michael Douglas vehicle is certainly not the best picture of the year - as Travers flagrantly misrepresents of late - between the pages of a a publication that has gotten so stale and irrelvant that it begs the question.
Why doesn't the magazine just call it a day and roll over into oblivion?
Essentially, the film starts off where the high-successful first chapter - starring Charlie Sheen in a stellar starring role - which is the crux of the problem.
Right from the get-go, Oliver Stone has managed to box himself him in - and consequently - there is no escaping the cold reality.
"Money Never Sleeps" is just a watered-down version of the original with nothing fresh or original in the offing.
In the first installment, when the Oscar-winning Douglas first spouted - "Greed is Good" - it rang out with truth and captured the imagination of filmgoers the planet over.
When Stone attempts to recapture the same magic of yesteryear's blockbuster hit, here, the copy-cat effort falls flat.
Ironically, one of the the themes of this low-brow potboiler, harps about the inability to recapture the past - or even - go back.
At one point, the celebrated director muddies the waters, when he attempts to expound on lofty ideas that can't help but fail because they aren't well--developed and arise from a poorly-written script that is shallow and weak without substance.
To Christians, it's all a folly, of course.
For example, at one point in the film, the main character talks about the wonder of that first explosion in space that set the universe - and its raft of miraculous life and plant forms - into motion.
Without one mention of the great Creator!
Later, Stone would have us believe that Douglas's character would actually be moved by the spark of life in his own daughter's belly, go figure.
Doesn't make sense.
Especially when you recall the ubiquitous images of paper money at the closing credits with a Christian motto emblazoned on their face.
In God we trust.
Do you really, Oliver?
Unfortunately, there are other glaring probems, that distract.
Michael Douglas's in-your-face ham-acting leaves a lot to be desired, for instance.
Bascially, the Oscar-winner phoned in the role (and laughed all the way to one of the banks that didn't fail in the Wall Street fantasy fiasco).
In contrast, the virile magnetic presence of Josh Brolin in the celluloid offering, was worth the price of admission.
Uh-huh!
Brolin has all that it takes to bust out of the mold he has been cast in - as side-kick or second banana - and onto new horizons (film greatness even) if given the chance.
Likewise, Carey Mulligan is a talent to reckon with.
The English lass radiates a persona onscreen that literally takes the breath away - and enchants - in what amounts to a captivating seamless performance.
Shia LaBeouf - is terribly miscast- and comes off a buffoon out of his league.
Sorry, kid!
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