Wanted for All the Wrong Reasons
A film such as this calls to me. Angelina Jolie in any film has the ability to draw my interest and get me a bit excited to see it, especially if it’s Jolie in action. Yes I did see both Tomb Raiders and even Mr. and Mrs. Smith, call me a sucker for Jolie with a gun. No matter how cheesy, I typically find something worthwhile in a Jolie helmed action flick. Too bad that Jolie was not the leading character in Wanted. Now don’t get me wrong, I did like Wanted. But perhaps I liked it for all the wrong reasons.
Your story is that normal office drone Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) discovers that he is the son of a super assassin who belongs to the Guild of Calamitous Intent, no wait that’s the Venture Brothers. Oh right, it’s the much more creative Fraternity. He is recruited by Fox (Angelina Jolie) and is directed by Sloan (Morgan Freeman) to his father’s killer. Eventually things get a bit cloudy as things are not as they appear (which is my way of saying stuff happens that if I told you would ruin the film for you). The plot is not that complex, but it is twisty enough to provide interest from start to finish. Aside from the many cliches employed (let’s train the hero sequence), it had just enough uniqueness to make the film watchable the entire time. You do want to find out how the story is resolved.
Now when I mentioned liking the film for the wrong reasons, it all seems to boil down to the acting and the directing. Let’s start with McAvoy’s acting. His character is great when he’s the loser office drone, but once he figures out he’s an assassin and has the ability to kick any one’s ass he becomes less enjoyable and believable. McAvoy allows you to experience his stress and anxiety at work, who can’t relate to that. But the crossover from that to super powered man god demonstrates that McAvoy must have decided that channeling Chuck Norris or Clint Eastwood was his best path to finding the character. Too bad it doesn’t work. I do have to say that the office scene when Wesley confronts not only his manager but also his best friend is one of the best scenes in the film. It has all the making of a classic Office Space like scene. Once we move beyond McAvoy, the two standouts are Freeman and Jolie. Freeman’s Sloan is exactly what you would want out of the Morgan Freeman acting style. He has the perfect mannerisms for the slightly off kilter brainiac leader. Think of his character in Se7en and you have a pretty good idea of how he plays Sloan. But this all just sets you up for perhaps my favorite line of the film, Freeman saying, “Shoot the Mother Fucker!” Don’t worry, I didn’t ruin anything. Here is one of the wrong reasons for liking Wanted. The whole film was worth it to hear Freeman say that. Now on to Jolie. Let me first clear the air by saying that Jolie is incredibly hot and nothing will change that. And add that you did get to view her derriere for a split second. Again, liking the film for all the wrong reasons. Look, Jolie essentially plays her stereotypical bad girl that does get a bit tiring. We’ve seen it before, but it still fits the part. One day I may not give Jolie a break, but she does show us some of the goods!
Aside from the acting, the direction of the film was supposed to make me love the film. It did, but only because I had a few good chuckles laughing at Timur Bekmambetov’s attempt at translating his oversees success with Night Watch and Day Watch into Hollywood gold. The action and special effects are way over the top to the point of being like the Wachowski brothers. However, by trying to pull it off as more “realistic” just makes the effects seem like a vanity project for Bekmambetov. I know the graphic novel was over the top as well, but it’s that fine line of should I think the film bends reality or is just not set in reality that irks me. Compared to Night Watch, there is less innovation and more compromise. I really got the sense that this film was Bekmambetov’s audition tape for more Hollywood projects. He toned down his style to fit more effects in and make the film more Hollywood friendly. Perhaps I’m reading it all wrong, but I really do not want to see Bekmambetov become like the Wachowskis, a sell-out.
I wanted Wanted to be good so that I could watch it again and again. But alas, it will be a one time viewing because there was just not enough there to warrant another viewing. It was a neat film that was entertaining, but the action and special effects detracted from that plot. It was a neat experience following Wesley, but the lack of originality in certain portions drug me down (I half wanted McAvoy to start punching the meat in the knife training scene while Eye of the Tiger played). I’m not writing Bekmambetov off yet. I eagerly await his next film, after the long awaited final film in the Night Watch trilogy. And now Angelina Jolie because I just love the way she looks at me.
