Seen on: June 27, 2008

The players: Director: Timur Bekmambetov, Writers: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, Chris Morgan, Cast: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Common, Kristen Hager

Facts of interest: Based on the comics by J.G. Jones and Mark Millar.

The plot: A young man gets a chance to end his miserable existence when he's offered to join a fraternity of assassins. 

Our thoughts: In a nutshell, “Wanted” is a stunning adrenaline rush. Much like last year’s over-the-top action flick “Shoot ‘Em Up,” Timur Bekmambetov’s Hollywood debut is incredibly unrealistic but tons of fun to watch. The film boasts pretty much everything to captivate die-hard fans of the genre, never shying away from showing off eye-catching stunts, wild pursuits and utterly thrilling shoot-outs.

Based on the comics by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones, the film introduces us to Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy), a boring nobody. Wesley’s been leading a miserable existence for as long as he can remember, and he’s certainly in no rush to do something about it. But then he meets a mysterious stranger called Fox (Angelina Jolie), who offers Wesley a ticket out of his misery if he joins the Fraternity, a group of assassins who carry out killing orders given by fate itself.
 
Skeptical at first, Wesley is soon thrust into an extensive training program that helps him become a top assassin and discover his true self. Unlike most people, he has the ability to develop ultra-quick reflexes and special shooting techniques; two qualities he must learn to control if he plans on using them effectively. When he’s finally ready to hit the field, Wesley is given his first assignment: hunt down and eliminate the man responsible for his father’s murder.

“Wanted” is unlike anything we’ve seen in the action department so far this year, and if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief for 110 minutes, you’ll have no problems enjoying the flick to the fullest extent. Everything you gaze at on the big screen is totally implausible, but who really cares? The countless action scenes in the film are bloody, fast-paced and quite simply spectacular, and that’s pretty much all that matters.

Whatever you do during this movie, don’t go chasing for a subtle story. The plot itself is rather simple, and the main story line boasts more twists anyone can possibly handle. Some work out better than others, but by the time the end credits start rolling, you really don’t care about the few flaws in the script. All you can think about is how well the previous 110 minutes have kept you entertained at the highest possible level.

If you’ve seen Bekmambetov’s action-packed “Night Watch” and the solid follow-up “Day Watch,” you know exactly what he’s capable of. He literally takes every scene and turns it into a memorable moment, always trying to top the last segment and create something even more spectacular. And that’s what’s so awesome about “Wanted.” As the film progresses the action sequences just keep getting better, culminating in one of the most explosive showdowns I’ve seen in a long time.

Bekmambetov is also a dab hand at never letting the loud and visually compelling action cover up the film’s message. “Wanted” is not necessarily a wake-up call, but the movie does comment on the laziness of people who live a miserable existence and somehow refuse to do anything about it. Although not really a deep work of character development, the film does a nice job at showing Wesley getting a grip and replacing his apathy with a purpose in life.   

In “The Last King of Scotland,” James McAvoy proved he’s perfectly capable of playing a character caught up in perilous situations, and he certainly puts just as much effort into the role of Wesley Gibson. He also shares a solid chemistry with co-star Angelina Jolie, who's obviously in great shape. Besides a convincing Morgan Freeman in the role of the Fraternity’s leader Sloan, the cast also includes brief but solid performances by Terence Stamp and Thomas Kretschmann.

Freaky quote: "I am the man.” – James McAvoy

The final word: Awesome visuals, a few fantastic pursuits and countless exchanges of bullets turn “Wanted” into a high-speed action flick boasting plenty of crazy but highly original ideas. Bekmambetov delivers a strong Hollywood debut with “Wanted,” and I sincerely hope he’ll return to direct if a sequel actually gets made. This is good stuff.

Article by Franck Tabouring