Eric D. Snider
Wanted
Movie Review
"Wanted"
Review by Eric D. Snider
Grade: B
Rating: R
Released: Friday, June 27, 2008
Directed by:
Cast:
If Timur Bekmambetov is the Russian David Fincher, then "Wanted" is his "Fight Club": bloody, brutal, funny, lightly satirical, and all about a nobody who shakes himself from his reverie and becomes a real man. There aren't many deep themes here (not as many as there are supposed to be, anyway), but who cares? The stylized violence and unapologetically ludicrous action sequences are the selling point, and "Wanted" delivers those by the blood-soaked truckload.
"Wanted" is about a Chicago office drone named Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) whose life is so insubstantial that he gets zero hits when he Googles himself. But like Neo before him (only played by an actual actor, rather than a plank of driftwood), Wesley is rescued from his drudgery by a secret organization that wants to tell him who he really is and what his destiny can be. That's right, the Mormons.
No, kidding. The group is known as The Fraternity (but they let girls in, too), and it began a thousand years ago when a group of weavers decided that weaving was boring and they should become assassins. Today the group is run by Sloan (Morgan Freeman), with headquarters hidden in an actual textile factory. Every guy in the place is tough and mean, a real brute of the loom, if you will, and they show Wesley the ropes of shooting people from a distance. That's right: Wesley snipes. (That concludes the pun portion of this review.)
[To read the rest of the review, please visit Cinematical.]
Grade: B
Rated R, abundant harsh profanity, abundant violence and blood, brief strong sexuality and partial nudity
1 hr., 50 min.
Copyright © Eric D. Snider.
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This item has 8 comments
June 28, 2008 at 6:03 pm
And what a fine pun section this was.
June 30, 2008 at 1:17 am
Yea, "COOL" movie and different. I really didn't think it resembled The Matrix that much but did remind me of a movie made back in the early 90's called "Sniper" with Tom Berenger because of the view of bullet travel. The bullet travel in "Wanted" was really "Neat" and the whole movie was entertaining. Again, forget waiting for DVD rental. A movie like this is most appreciated to view on the big movie screen. Along with great action, "Wanted" had great acting and a easy story to follow. I read that the whole movie was filmed in Russia. The director made huge set pieces that looked liked Chicago! Looking forward in seeing a sequel. Good stuff. After seeing the new really disappointing "Indiana Jones" junk flick (that film had no heart at all and was made for $$$$$ only), I thoroughly enjoyed "Wanted." Pure two hour escapism.
June 30, 2008 at 5:01 am
There were only two words that made me want to see this film in the first place.....James McAvoy. I'd see that boy read the phone book. But after reading your review, I want to see the movie & James is just the icing on the cake now! Thanks Eric!
July 1, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Hear hear, Jenn!!!!
That man is gorgeous. And talented.
Okay, I'm done sounding like a seventeen-year-old girl.
July 5, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Ok, just got done reading these reviews and I'm sold. I'm totally going tonight even if I have to go by myself. I agree with Jenn, I would watch James McAvoy read a phone book. So gorgeous. I can't wait to see what he comes out with next.
July 15, 2008 at 3:05 am
McAvoy did a good job, but it was a bit too predictable from time to time & the special effects were a bit too obvious, though they were well done. When the cars rolled over & flipped onto or over other cars would have been more impressive if these stunts could have been done for real. i've seen these kinds of stunts done before the computer generated scenes seen in this movie. the acting was excellent & the special effects both enhanced scenes & took away from them in the obvious way they were done.
Hooray for Hollywood!!
Enjoyed it.
July 16, 2008 at 3:15 am
Finally saw this & I really did like it. Could have done without the "f-bomb" every other sentence, but other than that, I enjoyed the movie. Am I the only one who wanted to shove a sandwich down Angelina Jolie's throat saying "Would it kill you to put on 10 pounds?" I kept waiting for her to fall down & break into a million peices! The ending was slightly predictable, but still an enjoyable movie.
July 18, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Strongly inspired by Bekmambetov's own "Day Watch" and "Night Watch", and decidedly worse than them. Which doesn't necessarily make it a bad movie.