I just saw Wanted through Netflix, but decided to do a full review anyways since it's still a major release from this year and because I gyped everyone out of full reviews for The Rocker and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
This was a film that just never generated much interest from me earlier this year. I'm not sure if it was the generic title, vague plotline, or underwhelming cast, but nothing about this screamed 'must-see summer film'. However, it did moderately well at the box office, so I figured I would see if I was off the mark on this one or if it was another example of the stupidity of America.
Wanted is based off a comic book, but unless you're really a hardcore comic book nerd, you're probably unfamiliar with the story. The plot centers Wesley Gibson (played by James McAvoy), an office drone who is suddenly recruited into a group of assassins called the Fraternity, who tell him that his recently deceased father had been a member of the group. Morgan Freeman plays Sloan, the leader of the fraternity and Angelina Jolie is Fox, the assassin assigned to train Wesley.
Sadly, the acting here isn't of a high caliber. I felt McAvoy was miscast here as he was neither convincing as the downtrodden working for the weekend employee nor as the badass assassin he becomes. McAvoy underplays both roles to the degree that you never get emotionally wrapped up in what he's doing or what's happening to him. Freeman and Jolie are fine, but these are both roles that are so familiar for them, they could play them in their sleep. In the end, nobody's performance in the film feels very inspired.
Some inspiration and creativity could also have been needed for the film's story. Every plot point from the movie feels like a retread from other better action films. You pretty much know where the story is going from the beginning. About the only unique thing about the film from a story perspective is the Fraternity's magic loom, which informs the assassins of their next target. However, as you can probably tell just from reading that sentence, that plot point is more silly than creative.
It appears that all of the creativity needed in the story was instead invested in the action sequences. This is an adrenaline-fueled film that provides several action scenes not found in most films of the genre. Even without the luxury of a big screen or high-definition, I was impressed by the visual style of the film and the way in which the stunts were depicted. Sure, most of the action defies the laws of gravity and plausibility, but sometimes that is ok. It's nice to have that escape from reality and just be amazed by the inventiveness of the scenes unfolding before your eyes.
Now there have certainly been some other films recently that have just tried to go all out with their action and violence, but this one does it more successfully I feel. Unlike a film like Shoot 'Em Up, where the violence just seemed so senseless and depressing, Wanted succeeds at turning their action scenes into an art form. I feel most will be like me and marvel at the lengths these Fraternity members go in order to complete the kill.
I'm going to go ahead and give this one a mild recommendation. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy it, but if you are, you should have a lot of fun watching the gun play and car chase scenes. This may not have the most original story, but unlike so many other films that suffer from a lack of creativity, I wasn't bothered by it. The film is like a 4th of July fireworks display; sure, they may not offer anything new each time, but you can't help and watch them every year and appreciate their sheer beauty. And in that sense, I guess that makes it the perfect summer movie. Looks like my first impressions aren't always right. In this case, I'm glad I was wrong. Grade: B-
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