Russian director Timur Bekmambetov made his first big splash on the worldwide scene with Night Watch, a film that did far better abroad than it did here in the States. He was touted as a visionary director as his Night Watch follow-up, Day Watch, hit theaters and vanished as quietly as it entered. With those films behind him, he may have found the key to attracting American interest with Wanted and its female star, Angelina Jolie.
Wanted is based on the Mark Millar and J.G. Jones comics in which a group of underground assassins known as The Fraternity take fate into their own hands using an ancient device to prophesize those they must kill. Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is the star of this story playing a man with no direction. He’s an account manager until one day he finds himself inside the world of The Fraternity where he learns his father was once one of them and he must avenge his death.
Desperate for anything that will get him out of his life of being a nobody, Wesley accepts his “destiny” and is on his way to becoming a killing machine. What makes being part of The Fraternity your destiny is not necessarily a knack for punching and shooting, it takes a little more. Wesley learns how to curve bullets, knife fight and grab loom shuttles as this becomes something of a Matrix world without the shroud of technology.
The plot twists and turns and Bekmambetov shows his ability for outlandish CG driven chase scenes more than once, and while they may be outlandish and may even give you a laugh as one target is taken out with Andrea Bocelli playing in the background. The action is equally cheeky and kick-ass at the same time. This is a world where you can curve bullets for crying out loud and that is more than emphasized in the trailers, so if you see that as a problem you may as well just stay home right now because this is not the movie for you. However, if you are up for breaking the laws of physics this will be right down your alley.
However, there is more to Wanted than special effects and Jolie’s nude bum (Did I forget to mention that earlier?). This is an origin story and one that had a few flaws here and there, but for the most part it is executed in a way that will satisfy the audience on its own merits while leaving room for what could potentially be a pretty cool franchise should the creators take the time in telling the story properly rather than rush one into production.
Wanted is a fantasy film that takes itself just serious enough to work, and if you are laughing it will be with what is seen on screen and not at the crazy shit you are watching. This film isn’t afraid to take it to the edge. Just when you may write the film off for its use of exploding rats you will be pleasantly impressed with the aftermath. If you have seen the trailers and are still interested, the bits of cliche plot won’t matter and you should walk out extremely satisfied.
