Directed by:
Тимур БекмамбетовCinematography:
Mitchell AmundsenComposer:
Danny ElfmanCast:
James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, Kristen Hager, Marc Warren, David O'Hara, Konstantin Khabenskiy (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
25-year-old Wes was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. His boss chewed him out hourly, his girlfriend ignored him routinely and his life plodded on interminably. Everyone was certain this disengaged slacker would amount to nothing. There was little else for Wes to do but wile away the days and die in his slow, clock-punching rut. Until he met a woman named Fox. After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad's death by unlocking his dormant powers. As she teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, Wes discovers this team lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: carry out the death orders given by fate itself. With wickedly brilliant tutors - including the Fraternity's enigmatic leader, Sloan - Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye. And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny. (Universal Pictures US)
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Reviews (14)
Wanted is like a giant shiny bubble that captures attention and acts as an amusement park attraction, but its lifespan is terribly short and it doesn't leave anything valuable behind. The impressive action scenes can't overshadow the fact that the film is intellectually shallow and doesn't create any functional fantasy world that would engulf the viewer. As a result, the stupidities like bending bullets or superkillers jumping from one skyscraper to another stand out even more. Not that the current cinema doesn't abound in such things, but here everything is subordinate to visuals and action, so in the end, it misses the mark for me. Overall impression: 15%. It's exactly the kind of action movie that completely bypasses me and actually bothers me in practice because a huge amount of energy and financial resources could be used more meaningfully in the film industry...
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Or: How the Russians (I know, he’s from Kazakhstan, but still) pays Czechoslovakia a “friendly" visit, like they did in 1968, this time for American money. I’ve liked Bekmambetov ever since Night Watch, but back then he didn’t manage to keep total control. Then, in Day Watch, he let go of the reins far too much. At the beginning of Wanted, my hopeful smile was wiped from my face by the opening action scene. It’s a long time since I saw such dumbness and pure awkwardness on the silver screen. It’s just far too much. I awaited in horror what was to come. But then it managed to push itself off the bottom of the anti-talent pool to incredible quality. Even the Palahniukesque toiling of the main “pimp" indicated that Timur and his gang might manage after all. And then it really gets going, one idea after another. This is an inaccessible action movie in all ways, despite having a functional story, good actors and even that stagnating Danny Elfman is on his way to the top again. And last but not least, you have to get used to an approach where loads of teenagers are fondling their darlings in the street. I mean pistols, not girls. This is a stylish celebration of weapons. But you know what? The arms industry couldn’t hope for a better commercial.
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The actors are of course great and also quite sexy, but Wanted is a one-sided exhibition of its director. Bekmambetov may be a visual gourmet and a big fan of straightforward cinematic action, which makes the film flow incredibly well with scenes that outdo each other thanks to the effectiveness of the effects and the rhythmic editing, but he somehow forgot that a pure action flick should also tell a story. Wanted tries to have a stylish plot, and there is even one big twist (which comes to the surface during the most frantic action sequence), but it all feels too shallow and superficial.... No one can deny its potential to help you switch off your brain, but unfortunately, in the busy Hollywood competition, I demand a little more than that. 70%
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Let your heart rate increase to 400, let yourself be kissed by Angelina Jolie, and above all, let go of everything. Because it's just futile writhing from nowhere to nowhere. You won't find a more peculiar way to find spiritual revival anytime soon. Twist the path to the bullets, fulfill the mission, or just enjoy it splendidly. Because James McAvoy as the God of Chaos is watching over you and makes you forget that the plot about a woven message is actually just incredible nonsense. So now you can tell me: why are you here...?
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Subjectively, it's not a five-star film. Wanted would have had to do more fucking and shooting heads instead of explaining why they were doing it in the first place, it's just that in terms of a multiplex blockbuster, Bekmambetov's work is a real evolution for several reasons. 1) It clearly demonstrates how an action movie can combine a good dose of blood and violence. 2) It has the balls to tell off people who have spent considerable resources to see it, see the keyboard scene or the hero's last line ("And what the fuck have you done lately? " – they watched Wanted). 3) While in other movies the hero emerges from his personal shit (school loser – Kick-Ass, Spider-Man; personal trauma – Batman), Wesley's naked self emerges in Wanted from the shit that all of society is in. So while Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker, and the like are different before they turn into supermen, Wesley Gibson is just like all of us and rises from that state. In fact, he's kind of the subconscious hero in all of us. 4) Morgan Freeman says "Shoot that motherfucker!" 5) The basic existential question is said in front of an ATM machine at the end – which is very much true to life. -) 6) I started to like Angelina Jolie. 7) Civilization's mental "illnesses" (bouts of stress, awareness, apathy) are presented here as the germs of superpowers, and thus Wanted gives hope that my inability to concentrate, distractibility, and forgetfulness will also one day allow me to punch through metal railings, dodge bullets or massacre 400-pound fighters...
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