Fate looms large in the latest graphic novel screen adaptation, WANTED, which opens with an assassin going after his target in a high-rise high-intensity scene before introducing 25-year-old cubicle dwelling slacker Wesley Gibson (a promising James McAvoy).
Wes is just marking time to pay his bills as an insurance account manager. His fat pig of a boss is always chomping on powdered jelly donuts and yelling in his face, his girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend, and, though he tries to shove it down, he knows he's just wasting his life as the
small insignificant nobody he really is. Wesley gobbles anti-anxiety meds like candy for his frequent debilitating panic attacks while the audience is treated to the sounds of his racing heartbeat.Once again at th
e pharmacy to pick up his meds, Wes encounters a skinny, beautiful, and deadly tattooed lady named Fox (Angelina Jolie) who informs him she knew his father. Since Wesley's dad left when he was only 7 days old he's hooked and follows the woman while she protects him from an evil gunman in a great pharmacy shoot-out. Thus begins Wesley's introduction to his new life.Fox brings him
to a textile factory that looks like an ancient Eastern European castle where she introduces him to a series of weird and whacked-out wicked characters who all seemingly work at the factory under the guidance of Sloan (Morgan Freeman). Sloan and Fox reveal the details of Wesley's father's life to him; his father was one of the greatest assassins involved in a secret society called 'The Fraternity,' and it is he who has just died in the opening sequence. His compadres seek out Wesley because he has inherited from his father 
amazing abilities that help to make him a super assassin. 'The Fraternity' needs to recruit Wes for their own ends. Wesley is told that another assassin called Cross (Thomas Kretschmann) murdered his father and he goes after the man while the man is coming for Wes.Fox takes over his training, she teaches him how to unlock his until-now dormant powers and develop his lightening-quick reflexes and
phenomenal agility, including how to bend elaborately decorated and carved bullets around targets. Just like our cute furry friend KUNG FU PANDA, after a few beatings, shooting range, knife practice drills, and fight montages within days our boy Wes is ready to challenge the world's top assassins on their own turf. In addition to Wesley's super skill-set, 'The Fraternity' also has a magic liquid bath that 
heals just about any injury. How convenient.As Wesley's indoctrination proceeds he discovers that the 'The Fraternity' lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: carry out the death orders given by fate itself via the 'Loom of Fate.' You might laugh out loud when you see the code they're reading to determine who gets killed next, but hey, don't forget this is all from the graphic novel of the story, also called WANTED, written by Mark Millar with art by J. G. Jones and
published by Top Cow in 2003-4 as part of Millarworld.Angelina Jolie is so skinny that she doesn't look strong enough to give Wesley the numerous beatings the script calls for, though she certainly acts tough enough. Her acting chops do a good job to make up for the physical shortcomings. Her heavy eye make-up turns the usually beautiful Jolie into a raccoon-eyed (reminiscent of the character Pris, played by Daryl Hannah in BLADE RUNNER) blind hooker... anyone with eyes and a mirror would never put on their makeup so
heavily. Especially an undercover assassin, who, one would imagine, would not want to stand out in a crowd.Jamie McAvoy acquits himself nicely here. After seeing him fade into the background in LAST KING OF SCOTLAND even while his character served as the Western (read, white) entrée into the very African story of Idi Amin, I was not expecting good things. But in WANTED it was a pleasant surprise to find out that he really can act. Even if it took the entire length of
shoot days for him to swell his body up with heavy free-weight upper body workouts, it was worth the wait. His one topless scene towards the end of the film shows us he could be aiming for leading action man territory in the future. Rapper Common is cast as one of 'The Fraternity' minions, he looks menacing enough, but he barely has any lines. Terence Stamp once again plays a villain... or does he? I'll let you figure that out when you see the film. 
Russian-Kazakh Director Timur Bekmambetov helms WANTED with some of the best car chase scenes, car stunts, and action set pieces seen on the big screen in recent memory; look out for one of the best car chases on Lower Wacker Drive in Chicago. He brings a true feel to the film version of the graphic novel with his use of stop-frames and stutter-frames, and slo-mo curving bullet arcs. One imaginative set piece to look out for is a train falling off a high bridge over a deep cany
on.Bekmambetov directs with a sense of urgency and peril and some strange twists and turns. He'll keep you excited and guessing as everyone runs around trying to kill each other. There's nothing else to call WANTED than an E-Ticket ride.
As the story proceeds Wesley begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye. Plots twists and turns reign supreme even while some of the dialog is stilted and just may make you laugh out loud, while at the same time being true to the graphic novel the story comes from.
While Wesley wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, between belief and disbelief at his situation, between who he can trust and who he cannot trust, he learns what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny... as Bekmambetov controls our destiny while the audience experiences the action and enjoys the wild ride.
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Digital Dogs rating: B+, E-Ticket ride
MPAA rating: R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality.
Running Times: 120 Minutes
Producers Jim Lemley, Jason Netter, Marc E. Platt, Iain Smith, Sally French, Director Timur Bekmambetov, Screenplay Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, DP Mitchell Amundsen, Editor David Brenner, Dallas Puett, Music Danny Elfman, Actors James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Common , Kristen Hager, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann
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© 2008 by Digital Dogs
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Comments: 35
Thanks for a great reveiw DD!
P.S. Shouldn't Ms. Jolie always be seen on the big screen?!
I wish someone had told the makeup artists to tread more lightly on her makeup. It really is awful. Why in the world does anyone think that all that black gunk around someones eyes looks good? It just made her look dirty and like she didn't own a mirror. Angelina doesn't need makeup at all, she's that beautiful!
I'm sorry, but as a guy I can honestly report that Jolie could smear pig poo on herself while wearing coffee sacks and she'd still be hot. I though Pris was hot too, but the eyes were hinky. And, I work with a woman that wears eye make-up in such a fashion that would drive male tropical fish to distraction.
Any hoo, this looks like a great guy movie and I look forward to Flix-ing it. I'll look for the book this weekend at 1/2 Price Books as well.
Thanks Digi D!
thanks
And grrls, if you like Jamie McAvoy be sure to see this on the big screen, it's worth the wait to see him all pumped up like an action star towards the end. Quite buff, and after his work in WANTED I fully expect to see his Hollywood stock on the rise.
You either buy into the film or don't in the first 5 minutes - either accept the absurd action sequences or don't. If you do, you'll happilly overlook the plot. If not, I assume it would be a grating next two hours.
It is so similar to the Matrix though that I'm surprised more folks haven't called foul: A nebbishly mundane white fellow is discovered to be a chosen one to a secret club trying to save the unkowing society from itself. He is then recruited into said club by a beautiful but deadly fox who reports to a charasmatic black man who believes whole-heartedly in a prophecy (in binary I might add), and in a short training montage the protagonist is better than all those who trained him.
Oh yeah, the action sequences (though awesome) lack only bullet time and Keanu Reeves...
As long as one keeps in mind, this movie is a comic book and not classical literature, you'll do okay.
Thanks for the great review!
The premise is definitely comic-book campy, and I intend to read a bit about the Millar comic. However, what you've left out here, DD, is that the film is based on Bernard Lewis' book, The Assasins, a nonfictional account of a 14th century Islamic sect. Because I am hard-pressed to make more sense of the film, I intend to read the Lewis book now, too (SO many books, so little time).
Could be interesting!
(P.S. Crappy makeup and on the thin side, Jolie still makes me want to kick butt. You don't even want to know how hard I exercised after seeing Lara Croft!)
Good, mindless action move, I can't help but feel it never quite lived up to its potential.
till then? I am just a bit weary of seeing Jolie's hideous body decorations. and, her waving guns around.
I'll not support the franchise, I think.
great review though Dogs.