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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Good, but not as super: “Hancock”

“Hancock” was a pretty good superhero movie, not great and not something to rush and see considering the current options now in theaters, but if you love the Superhero Genre and/or like Will Smith, its definitely worth renting…. I probably would have liked it more had I not seen “Iron Man” or “The Dark Knight” earlier this summer.

 “Hancock”

(Rated: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language) (1 hr, 32 min)

Genre: Action/Comedy/Superhero/Drama

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman

The Plot: A hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public enters into a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who’s trying to repair his image.

See it in 3D: “Journey to the Center of the Earth”
 

“Journey to the Center of the Earth” is a fun, family adventure that takes the audience on a fun updated version of Jules Verne’s trip to an amazing world below the earth’s surface.     But MAKE SURE YOU SEE IT in 3D, the way it was intended to be seen… as this is the first full-length, live action feature shot in digital 3D !!!

 “Journey to the Center of the Earth”

(Rated:PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments) (1 hr, 32 min)

Genre: Action/Adventure/Family/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Seth Meyers

The Plot: On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.

“The Air I Breathe”: a great crime drama
 

“The Air I Breathe” is a gritty crime drama with non-stop action, solid acting, really good cinematography… and one of the most important things I need in a movie: great character development !!!

 “The Air I Breathe”

(2007) stars Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emile Hirsch, Forest Whitaker, Kelly Hu

(Rated: R for violence, language and some sexual content/nudity)

The Plot: A drama based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love.