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Wanted was originally scheduled for release in the spring, but its release date was moved back to mid-summer. Usually a postponed release is a sign of a troubled production or a studio dissatisfied with a film and therefore unsure of how to market it. Not so here. Universal brashly moved Wanted's release date right into the time when all the huge blockbusters are fighting for screens in the multiplexes, signalling their confidence that they had a film that could compete on a spectacle level with the other summer releases. Furthermore, Wanted's release date put it in direct competition with other big hitters released the same weekend: the new Narnia film in the UK, and Pixar's Wall-E in the US (neither are likely to attract similar demographics as the 18/R-rated Wanted, but still, it's a bold move). The box office results of the studio's tactic are yet to be revealed, but one thing's for certain - Wanted is a superb, ridiculous and visually insane thrill ride virtually from start to finish, and sits perfectly well amidst the blockbuster crowd.
The visual and stylistic excesses on display will come as little surprise to those familiar with the director's previous work. Timur Berkmambetov is the man responsible for the Russian blockbusters Night Watch and sequel Day Watch, light on plot coherency but strong in the visual flair department. With a Hollywood budget and special effects types backing him for the first time, Berkmambetov, far from seeming constrained as some foreign directors have in the past by a shift to Hollywood (John Woo?), absolutely lets rip, creating some of the most imaginative and often plain loony action sequences ever made with the help of computer graphics. Although there are many times that disbelief must be suspended, the outlandishness is a massive part of Wanted's appeal and really sets it apart from other big-budget fare. This is yet another film based on a comic (albeit apparently extremely loosely) but it's a far cry from your typical Marvel superhero story.
Nevertheless, although it departs somewhat from the usual comic adaptation template, it has to be said that the narrative here is not entirely original. Basically, it repeats much of the arc from The Matrix, just without the computer angle. James McAvoy is an average Joe working in a boring office job and living an unfulfilled life, before a mysterious stranger shows up and completely turns everything upside down. The stranger here is in the shapely form of Angelina Jolie (looking as good here as she ever has), a member of a secret group of assassins called The Fraternity, who all have the special skill of bending bullets and seeing events in slow motion. Despite the similarities, though, Berkmambetov ensures that Wanted easily has enough distinctive personality of its own to prevent it from feeling like a rehash. (Also, there's a twist at the beginning of the third act that takes the story in a new direction.) The casting can hardly be faulted either; it's great to see McAvoy in a big lead role even given his iffy American accent, Jolie's sexiness can't be argued, and Morgan Freeman also shows up as the leader of The Fraternity, getting to say a few juicy bits of dialogue that seem unsuited to coming out of his mouth. Naturally, he pulls it off.
The summary
A fantastically entertaining action film that exudes visual innovation. It's absolutely ludicrous, which is exactly what makes it so fun.
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