Assault on Wall Street (2013) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is set in New York City, primarily in its financial district. The setting is significant because it takes place in the heart of the world's financial capital, emphasizing the contrast between the cold, corporate world of high finance and the personal struggles of ordinary people affected by the 2008 economic collapse.

• new york city
• financial district
• setting
• wall street

The movie is set in 2008, during the height of the global financial crisis. This specific time period is crucial to the narrative as it provides the real-world context for the economic devastation that drives the protagonist's story and motivations.

• 2008
• financial crisis
• time period
• economy

The movie explores three primary themes: loss, justice, and greed. Loss drives the protagonist's transformation after his wife becomes terminally ill amid financial ruin. Justice represents his quest for retribution against those he holds responsible. Greed is depicted through the unethical actions of financial executives whose decisions destroy ordinary lives.

• themes
• loss
• justice
• greed
• financial crisis

Jim Baxford is the film's protagonist, a former soldier turned armored car driver who represents the everyman caught in impossible circumstances. His character arc moves from a desperate man trying to save his terminally ill wife to an avenger seeking justice against the financial system that destroyed his life.

• jim baxford
• protagonist
• main character
• everyman

Jeremy Stancroft is the main antagonist, a portfolio manager who prioritizes profits over client welfare. He embodies the greedy, morally bankrupt executive whose unethical decisions during the financial crisis lead to devastating consequences for ordinary people, including Jim's family.

• jeremy stancroft
• antagonist
• villain
• portfolio manager

Rosie Baxford is Jim's wife whose terminal illness becomes a catalyst for the entire narrative. Her character's suffering illustrates the direct, personal impact of financial instability on individual lives, and her death propels Jim's transformation into a figure of vengeance.

• rosie baxford
• wife
• supporting character
• illness

Greed is depicted as the corrosive force behind the financial crisis, embodied by executives like Jeremy Stancroft who prioritize profit over people. The film critiques a capitalist mindset that views clients as expendable and shows how this greed destroys lives while going virtually unpunished.

• greed
• capitalism
• finance
• corporate corruption

The movie presents a cynical view of justice, showing Jim's personal quest for retribution against a system that offers no accountability. His vigilante approach raises questions about whether true justice exists within a corrupt financial system, with the ambiguous ending suggesting systemic change remains elusive.

• justice
• retribution
• revenge
• accountability
• corruption

The 2008 financial crisis serves as the catalyst for the entire narrative, representing systemic failure and institutional greed. It provides the backdrop that forces ordinary people like Jim into impossible situations, while those responsible face few consequences.

• 2008 crisis
• economic collapse
• systemic failure
• bankrupty

The film has a distinctly dark and tense tone from the outset, staying consistently heavy throughout. It deals with terminal illness, financial ruin, and suicide without any moments of humor or relief. The pacing builds methodically toward violence, creating an inevitable sense of escalation.

• tone
• dark
• tense
• atmosphere
• mood

New York City as the setting reinforces the theme of wealth disparity and the cold nature of high finance. The bustling financial district symbolizes the corporate world that destroyed Jim's life, making his journey from ordinary neighborhoods to the towers of Wall Street represent his descent into vengeance against the elite.

• wall street
• wealth disparity
• corporate world
• new york