It was a long time ago that I watched this movie, and somehow the title doesn't elude me. The one-word title when mentioned tends to bring back memories of this movie. It's probably that movie which introduced me to some of the notable actors today who were featured in it. Though not a classic, it's one that remains well remembered for me.
Wanted is a 2008 film directed by Timur Bekmambetov. It featured a cast of James McAvoy as Wesley Gibson, Angelina Jolie as Fox, Morgan Freeman as Mr. Sloan, Terence Stamp as Pekwarsky, Thomas Kretschmann as Cross, and Common as The Gunsmith. The movie happened to be based on the 2003–05 comic book miniseries by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones.
The action thriller film follows Wesley Gibson, a young man working a desk job who decided to join the Fraternity, a secret society of assassins. Well, he didn't just wake up one day and decide to join some assassins. Fox, a highly respected member of the group located him and informed him that his father was part of them, and that a man called Cross who killed his father was after him. What more convincing to have the young man join the Fraternity than him experiencing a shootout, with Cross trying to kill him.
However, even after persuasion and proof of why he is equipped and should join the society, he didn't give in, at first at least. Wesley was going through an abusive work environment from his boss, a problematic relationship and he experienced panic attacks. He wasn't the kind of person to join such a society or be part of their activities. But these conditions and situations turned out to be motivation for him to join the Fraternity.
After finding millions of dollars in his bank account, Wesley took it as an opportunity to leave his abusive work conditions and his unfaithful relationship and friendship, with the motivation to do something more with his life. The Fraternity was headquartered in a repurposed textile mill and used the “Loom of Fate” which was a decoded, deliberately imperfect system to identify those who would create chaos and evil in the future, then kill them. The fabric, or loom as it was called is interpreted by Sloan, the leader of the society.
Wanted brought a plot twist, making it interesting and adding some weight to the plot and the story. An interesting aspect also was seeing how members of the Fraternity had distinct roles, especially as played out in the training processes of Wesley. It made the training scenes interesting because you see different faces with different characters teaching different things, not just a single face and character who does it all.
The action sequences were entertaining to watch. The fight scenes, the unique and unbelievable ways bullets were shot, which were just pure fiction as anyone would agree, the car chases, and the stunts leave captivating moments for viewers and audiences. The cinematography and visual effects are commendable, aiding in selling the action scenes in an entertaining way.
Looking at the cast, you would expect some good acting. James McAvoy did well as the lead actor, transforming from the timid young man suffering relationship, work and health problems into an assassin. The character transition was nicely done and the role was well carried. Then there's Angelina Jolie, who you know what to expect from her in action movies. Morgan Freeman played the non-action but reserved, powerful and calculating leader character, with a convincing display. Common, Terence Stamp and Thomas Kretschmann played their roles well too.
The movie doesn't provide a deep plot. It's a fun fantasy that takes you on a ride to enjoy some entertaining, fast-paced action. It requires you to suspend belief with some of the scenes and action, clearly selling them as unrealistic but fun and entertaining. With reservations about some aspects of the movie, Wanted was a fairly good, entertaining watch.
Thank you for reading!
Rating: 70/100
