Wanted (2008)

Wanted (2008)

6/10

Starring

James McAvoy

Angelina Jolie

Morgan Freeman

 

 

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

Wanted is one of a kind. This movie is a mix of genres, and the director, Timur Bekmambetov, made sure he packed all the necessary elements into this cinematic masterpiece. The action thriller tells a dark tale, mixing it with some ironic comedic undertones and featuring a stellar cast of thrilling actors.
Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman were top-billed for this movie back in 2008, when James McAvoy was mostly unknown. Over the years, though, McAvoy has turned out to be a prolific actor, and this movie does his acting power justice. McAvoy is Scottish, but here he portrays an American whose life is turned upside down, flipped back up, and then blown up in his face.

Wanted is based on the comic book miniseries Wanted (2003–04) by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones. The comic itself took a different path than the movie. The film is well-written, maintaining the comic’s tone while diverging onto its own path, lifting only certain elements from the source material.

The movie follows the life of Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy). Gibson is what many would classify as a loser. He suffers from panic attacks, and his live-in girlfriend cheats on him with his best friend. At work, Wesley tries to make it through the day by being invisible, but that hardly works, as his boss is always on his case.

Aside from this, there’s a man being killed. We’re shown a world where this man is faster, stronger, and able to perform amazing feats at the drop of a hat.
Wesley is approached by a woman named Fox (Angelina Jolie), who saves him from being killed by a man named Cross. Fox takes Wesley to her boss, Sloan (Morgan Freeman), who reveals to Wesley that he is the son of the man killed earlier in the movie. The person who killed the man Wesley now believes to be his father is Cross, and they want to train Wesley to take him down.

Wesley’s training is integral to the fun the movie delivers. We see him shoot the wings off flies, learn how to bend bullets, and master his newfound abilities.
Wesley is keen on getting revenge for his father’s death, but to do so, he’s first thrust into a series of murders. Soon, he’s ready—but the twist is, he isn’t fully prepared for the truth and what lies ahead on the path he’s chosen to follow.

Wanted is a great action movie, and it’s one I’ll definitely watch again in the future.