Review: Wanted is a visual thrillride
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 pm by Laff at the Movies under Entertainment
Do you remember what it was like the first time you saw all those cool effects for the first time when seeing “The Matrix” (1999)?
Okay, we’ll this isn’t totally like that, but pretty close as far as awesome action and effects that push the limits a little bit more… there’s no groundbreaking like “bulletime”, but there are some very cool visuals!!!
This is easily one of the best action movies of 2008… the action is great, the stunts are cool, the storyline isn’t too complicated to follow and even the minor characters are well developed.
But – parents beware – it does have an “R” rating for a reason.
James McAvoy fits the role of Wesley perfectly, going from dorky to death defying… Angelina Jolie is cool as the female assasin that McAvoy first encounters… and Morgan Freeman is solid as the leader of the group with a complexity that he pulls off with ease. The supporting cast is convincing as well.
‘Wanted” is very much like “The Matrix” as the main character starts out as a low-life, non-confident office worker who puts up with getting used and abused by everyone from his girlfriend to his boss. The parallels continue from the opening action scene to the reality-defying jumps and moves from these elite group of assasins. Plus, there’s an alternate reality, the main character talked into the secret world by a kick-butt female character, and so on, and so on.
My only minor criticism I have is the way that Wesley (James McAvoy) does the “trick shot” the first time… everyone else turns their hand over from left to right, curving the bullet clockwise around the target… but when Wesley does it, he turns his hand over from right to left, while the bullet defies physics even more – going clockwise, despite his motions.
THE BOTTOM LINE: I give it 8.0 out of 10… and look forward to the sequel that was in the works and announced the week of “Wanted”’s spectacular debut.
“Wanted”
(2008) (rated: R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality)
(1 hr, 50 min)
Starring: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, Dato Bakhtadze
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Genre: Action/Thriller
The Plot: A frustrated office worker learns that he is the son of a professional assassin, and that he shares his father’s superhuman killing abilities.
So what did you think? Please post a comment!
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“Wanted” poster courtesy Universal Pictures
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Tags: "Common", action, Angelina Jolie, Dato Bakhtadze, James McAvoy, Laff at the Movies, Morgan Freeman, movie, review, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Wanted
Aaron Lafferty covers the film industry. Favorite movies include Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Matrix, Clear and Present Danger, Tombstone, Rounders, Enemy of the State, Rear W...
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I saw this movie when it first came out. I didn’t like it. The action scenes were just ok. I mean seeing a bullet go around the corner was cool. Angelina Jolie’s looks carried the movie. When she was riding on top of the car with the gun was cool! The plot could’ve been better!
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I never saw it. I couldn’t get over the trailer for the film where she talks about “bending the path of the bullet” the idea sounded so ludicrous to me that I decide to skip that film. Perhaps I’ll check it out on rental.
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