The Story: Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is in a dead-end job with a girlfriend and boss who treat him like crap. He’s so pathetic that even Google doesn’t have anything on him. When he’s recruited into an elite group of assassins called The Fraternity led by the mysterious Sloane (Morgan Freeman) Wesley gets a new lease on life. As he learns to become the top killer in the group he becomes close with a fellow assassin named Fox (Angelina Jolie), a woman with her own shady past.
Pros: I thought Wanted was one of the most unique action movies to come around in a long time. Director Timur Bekmambetov, making his English film debut, crafts a slick action adventure filled with thrills and smarts. The action scenes are probably the most memorable ranging from a car scooping up Wesley to a fight off a falling train. While it may be hard to see the realism in these scenes they are filmed in such an intense and hyper way that you overlook all the impossibilities. Bekmambetov also utilizes a ton of stylish elements in his filmmaking, when you see a guy jump through a window in the beginning I held my breath because I’d never seen anything shot that way. The acting in this is also amazing and really goes with the tight plot. James McAvoy proves he’s more than a dashing leading man as the depressed Wesley Gibson. From beating the crap out of his best friend with a computer keyboard to finally standing up to Sloane, McAvoy prove he can do action films. This is further evidenced by how much time he spends bloody and getting pummeled in the face. Some criticized Angelina Jolie for her weight loss in this movie but irregardless of that she is perfect as Fox. She seems to be having so much fun and this is a far better role than her turn in the Tomb Raider films.
Cons: Aside from those three characters you never really learn about the other members of the Fraternity. There are several others in the group, the one most hyped was rapper/actor Common, but you never really dwell on them, they are merely there to move the story forward.
Features: This was probably the most depressing DVD I’ve come across, especially for such a huge event film. There are absolutely no bonus features on this single disc. No commentary, no making-of, not even a few previews. For $15 dollars you could easily have seen this in theaters and been done with it, you can rent it cheaper. There is a Blu-Ray and 2-Disc Special Edition, in fact the price difference between the single disc and the 2-disc is a measly seven dollars which makes me wonder why they didn’t at least include something on here. If you really love this movie you’ll be forced to buy the 2-disc just to get something, if you just want to see the film then rent the DVD at your local video store.
Overall: Wanted is a great action film with some amazing actors and a tight, concise plot. If you’re a casual fan of the film rent the DVD but if you are a serious fan then this single disc won’t do anything for you. I give the movie a 4/5 and the DVD a 1/5 because it at least has the film.
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