My worry was
this; I've seen clips of "Wanted" for almost a year and
the only memorable thing was a scantily clad Angelina Jolie. Since
then, not much else has been added other than a few guns and some
explosions. One of my rules of film is, the longer you show me the
movie trailer, the louder you are telling me the film isn't worth
seeing. So, my expectations were quite low. When the movie started,
it contained another of my rules of film. If the movie is narrated,
it will stink (given "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" as the
exception to the rule).
I think the only reason nothing else was mentioned leading up to
the release of "Wanted" is that it wouldn't ring a bell
for most folks. Here's what I mean. If I told you that Russian director
Timur Bekmambetov, from the hugely successful “Nochnoi Dozor” (in
English, "Night Watch") series was making his first U.S.
studio backed film, would you run out and buy a ticket?
For the purists, 2004's "Night Watch" was released last
year here in the states with English subtitles and positive reviews.
Bekmambetov's 2006 "Day Watch" (or Night Watch 2) should
hit theaters in America this year and the trilogy wraps up in 2009
with the release of "Twilight Watch". The success of "Wanted"
may speed that process along if interest in his work increases.
Timur is a student of American film; having been to Moscow myself,
I observed. Russian's crave anything American.
Okay, how about this. You know Scottish actor James McAvoy? Remember
the male lead in "Atonement" last year? Yes, "Atonement".
The film that critics adored, the Academy all but ignored and audiences
hated. At this point, saying James McAvoy isn't like yelling Tom
Cruise in a crowded theater house. Is that enough to make you stand
in a line in 113° on a Saturday afternoon? What if I told you
that the story was based on the comic book series by Mark Millar
and J.G. Jones? For some people, saying comic book or graphic novel
is a turn off.
For me, "Wanted" benefited from low expectations. I really
enjoyed this movie. It was a quirky cross between "Reservoir
Dogs" (1992), "The Matrix" (1999) and "Office
Space" (1999). There was humor, horror, humility and heart.
The funniest thing for me was hearing Morgan Freeman swear. It was
a hysterical Tarantino-esque moment, akin to Betty White's crocodile
feeding role in the Horror-Comedy "Lake Placid" (1999).
"Wanted" gets high marks for surprising me; rated R for
very good reasons. Oh yea, Angelina Jolie stars; and in one scene,
she isn't wearing much… like that's a great reason to go see
a movie.
