Synopsis:

One apathetic nobody transforms into an unparalleled enforcer of justice in Wanted, the latest Angelina Jolie-driven flick. In 2008, we're introduced to a hero for a new generation: 25 year old employed slacker, Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy). Wesley is the most disaffected, cube-dwelling, clock-punching drone this planet has ever known. His boss chews him out hourly, his girlfriend ignores him routinely, and his life plods on in interminable boredom and routine. Everyone knows this disengaged slacker will amount to absolutely nothing, and so does he, until he meets Fox (Angelina Jolie). Wesley's estranged father is murdered, and Fox recruits him into The Fraternity, a secret society that trains him to avenge his father's death, by unlocking his dormant powers. As Fraternity members teach Wesley how to develop his lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, he discovers that The Fraternity lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: to carry out the death orders given by emotionless Fate itself. Slowly, Wesley realizes there's more to his dangerous associates than meets the casual eye. And, as he wavers between new found heroism and vengeance, Wesley will come to learn what no one can ever teach him; that he alone controls his destiny.

The Freak's Rating: B+ : Everyone wants to have super powers, right?  Every little boy believes he might be able to fly at some age.  He steps near the edge of a table, step, etc... and takes a leap.  Of course this experiment usually ends in crying and perhaps a scraped knee, but deep down the desire still lurks in all of us.  Who wouldn't want to have powers?  Any story that can capture this desire and grant that wish to an appealing character will always peak our interest.  Take a comic book series with the aforementioned theme, add an attractive cast and a director/cinematographer oozing with talent and you should have cinematic gold.  In this case, Universal Studios nailed it and has put on one of the most entertaining rides at the theater of the year. 

Acting in an action movie is always difficult to rate.  Some films can pull off a wonderful balance of good action and good acting, such as Iron Man or Heat.  Most, however, tend to weigh in heavier on one side than another.  Wanted's action is so intense that the acting never had a chance of evening out.  In the horrendously awful Atonement, James McAvoy bored me to tears with his overacting and dryness.  McAvoy has come back strong as Wesley, injecting a much needed innocence to the role.  In film, you must always relate to a character to feel his pain and cheer for him to succeed.  McAvoy does an adequate job at maintaining that audience-character relationship without taking it over the top.  As the leader of The Fraternity, Morgan Freeman is remarkably two dimensional.  Seemingly phoning in his acting, Freeman should have ignored this script if he wasn't going to put any effort into it.  Angelina Jolie, who seems to exhale sexuality with every breath, is solid in her role as Fox.  Having one of the worst puns ever used in film as her name, Jolie still is able to steal many scenes she is in with her intensity.

The script for Wanted has incredible holes, but it doesn't pretend otherwise.  Had Tarantino been hired as a dialogue coach for the script revisions, I would still be at the theater watching this a second time, much like I did with Pulp Fiction.  Twists and turns in the story are seen coming far in advance and though they are ostentatious in nature, they are successfully blended into the background like shrapnel in an explosion, never taking your eye off the real star of the film...the action. 

Action sequences are beautiful, and I do mean beautiful.  Stunt work and CGI come together in perfect harmony, creating breathtaking setups, explosions and gunfights.  Choreography, sharp camera transitions and slick shutter speed management make this one exciting ride.  Sparking memories of legendary action sequences from John Woo and the stylized direction of the Wachowski brothers in The Matrix, Wanted is a successful action-packed sandwich of the two and one that its target demographic will love. 

Brian's Rating: B+ : Let me preface this by stating that I have never even heard of the comic, so I carry no bias into the film adaptation.

This movie is freaking awesome.  It is easily the best recommendation I have had from the Freak.  It kind of reminded me of "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", however it cannot be compared, for "Wanted" is good where "League" is not.  I would like to give this movie an full 'A', but I just can't do it.  For one, I agree with Scott on some fairly obvious plot holes.  Just because its an action movie does not mean that the motivations and the reasoning of the characters have to fail at consistency.

My second critique is in complete disagreement with Scott.  I thought the lead actor was a bad casting choice.  He was not exciting enough, and even seemed clumsy at parts where he was supposed to be bad-ass.  I thought his attitude was flat, and even when it was supposed to be pissed off, he did not sell it to me.  I realize that they had to turn a homely office worker into a pseudo-super hero, but in my viewpoint it would have been easier to make a brazenly macho cast member homely than it is to make a mundane personality play the part of an action hero.  What I can say is, for me, he didn't do it.  He didn't sell it to me that he was actually as rebellious and cool as he needed to be.  Cast the guy who played Wolverine instead, and I am a much happier viewer.  It goes to show, that different people look for different things.  Where Scott sees greatness, I saw a mistake.

Those are the problems I have with the film, but I would recommend this to any red meat eating male out there.  I agree with all Scott says about how the action is blended extremely well with the CGI.  It is one of the better efforts I have seen.  The action sequences are gripping and although riding the edge of over-the-top ridiculous at times, they do not quite get there.  Scott describes it perfectly as being a cross between John Woo and Wachowski's.  There is really no better way to say it.  This is a marriage made in heaven for me.  John Woo is as good as it gets for gun fights, and Wachowski's are as good as it gets for innovative melee fighting.

Nate's Rating: B : An entertaining movie.  Keeps you interested.  I didn't know about the comic book either, but knew from the previews that it was going to be a surrealistic super-human action flick, and it is.  Laws of physics are bent and broken, but on purpose, kind of like they are in movies like Crouching Tiger or Hero - humans do impossible things, and you kind of just learn to accept that.  The acting is fine -- not great, but not bad (except for Morgan Freeman, who is kind of sleepwalking through most of his scenes).  I thought Angelina Jolie did a good job playing a character that really could have been uninteresting in the hands of an inexperienced actress.

The plot is predictable, but if you're already attached to the main character (who is easy to relate to), that won't bother you so much.  The action scenes are pretty cool -- I like guns, and I like headshots, and this movie has plenty of both.  Overall the movie is enjoyable, but not forcing you to question your own significance in the universe or anything like that.

Suzanne's Rating: B+ : I super liked this movie.  There were a few parts that were a little hard to buy and could have been scripted differently, but overall, I came out of this movie with a smile.  It gave me the kick _ss attitude I needed to do a triathlon the next AM!

Sebastian's Rating: A+ : Wow! everyone wants to give this movie an A. i have been thinking and thinking what do i give this movie. then i came on here and looked at the movie rating system.

A - Amazing film, could easily watch again                       
B - Good movie, might watch again...will recommend 

here's where i chuckled.because it's not a good movie and i won't watch it again. ill own this movie and watch it over n over with friends.

the speical effects blow u away, i mean forget the storyline, like the matrix, it was a fantastic movie. no i can't give this movie a B. im going to give this an A+ for one reason.

It's super entertaining... besides, i liked the storyline, i think it was awsome.

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