Michael Douglas is a force to be reckoned with as he recaptures his Oscar-winning role as everyone’s favorite sleazy, reptilian corporate tycoon. However, do not think for one moment that Shia Labeouf did not deliver one stellar performance. He may have been playing the protagonist, Jake Moore, but he could not compete with the subtle way Gekko commands audiences’ attentions on and off screen. It is hard to shine when standing next to greatness.
Even the supporting roles had superb casting. Frank Langella’s portrayal of “Louis Zabel”, a man who went from the top of the world to having it ripped out from under him in a matter of hours, was absolutely moving.
The cinematography was nicely done, but certain scenes seemed to have unnecessary placement in the sequence of events. This could be an attempt to grab the attention of a younger demographic, but the bike race scene between Jake Moore and his boss was just random. However, it is not something that took away from the overall effect of the project.
One might say the overall theme of the script is about learning life’s lessons of morality. Throughout every scene one wonders one question: Did Gekko truly learn the value of family, or is he still the same loveable villain who cannot shake his addiction to the almighty dollar? Watch and find out, but in my opinion: Gordon Gekko is back, and greed is better than ever!
-Carla
