The debate about R-rated comic book movies has reached a reasonable middle ground. Some characters fit well into the studio-friendly PG-13 restrictions, while others need a little more room to breathe. Before the dawn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the world’s idea of a comic book movie was very different. Something likeWantedprobably wouldn’t come to theaters today, though many viewers would agree it shouldn’t.
Mark Millar is acomplicated figure in the world of comic books. His name appears on many graphic novels fans have enjoyed, but he seems to be among the most hateful creators of all time. His work is cold, dark, sad, and unpleasant in many large and small ways. Unlike the cathartic darkness of Frank Miller’s better work, Millar comes across as cruel. One would imagine living in a mind like Millar’s might deplete one’s capacity for sympathy.
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What isWantedabout?
Wesley Gibson lives a miserable life. He works a demeaning office job with a demanding boss. His girlfriend is cruel and unfaithful. His best friend is a jerk who is sleeping with his girlfriend. He suffers frequent panic attacks for which he has to take medication. No one respects him. As Wesley waits in line at the pharmacy, two assassins appear. Cross, a legendary hitman, seeks to kill him while afemme fatale named Foxsaves his life. Wesley wakes up in an abandoned warehouse. Fox’s boss Sloan explains that they’re part of a secret society of assassins called the Fraternity, which has maintained balance in the world for a millennium. He then says that Wesley’s father was a member and that his superhuman skills have been passed down to Wesley. Sloan wants Wesley to train to become a master assassin to defeat Cross.
Why wasWantedso poorly received?
Wantedis a slickly-produced action film with a decent signature gimmick. The only thing most people remember about the film is that the main characters can learn to curve bullets.It’s a clever trick, a minor superhuman gift that keeps the major players relatively grounded in reality. They can’t fly or shoot lasers, but they can shoot their targets in ways no one else could. The action is well-executed. Like a lot of other great action films, it packs in numerous varied set pieces that all work. The cast of characters, while mostly one-note archetypes are well portrayed. Angelina Jolie was celebrated for her performance. It’s a solid action star turn slightly undermined by its conclusion. McAvoy plays both versions of Wesley well, selling both the put-upon everyman and the vengeful murderer.Morgan Freeman is exceedinglyfun as Sloan, a role no one could imagine him taking today. There are many good elements inWanted, but it doesn’t hit every shot.
Mark Millar’s body of workis venomous in a way that leaves most readers longing for a shower after every interaction. The adaptation drains much of that venom, but Millar’s dim, hateful, toxic, cruel fingerprint is still slapped on the text. The dialogue is a mixed bag. The lore is forgettable. The only good conversations are incidental exchanges between assassins. There’s a germ of an idea in portraying contract killing as a job like any other job, possibly even mirroring it with Wesley’s office gig, but it doesn’t capitalize on that where it needs to. Like all of Millar’s work,Wantedsees the world in black and white. A tiny percentage of humans are awake, and their actions are above reproach. Everyoneelse is an NPCin a badly-written video game. It’s a philosophy that appeals to those who takeFight Clubtoo seriously, and that’s as damming a condemnation as a film like this could possibly earn.
How doesWantedend?
The driving force behind the Fraternity is a mystical artifact called the Loom of Fate. It picks targets who will eventually cause chaos. Theother assassins follow itwithout question. After several successful missions, Wesley’s name comes up on the loom. Fox is secretly tasked with killing him. Wesley tracks down Cross and fights him to the death on a moving train. Cross unexpectedly saves Wesley from falling, allowing Wesley to kill him. Wesley is retrieved by Cross’s supplier, who explains that Cross was Wesley’s dad. Cross defected from the Fraternity after discovering that Sloan was faking targets with the loom. Wesley vows revenge and attacks the Fraternity.
Wesley’s assault goes well, using the unusual tactics he learned from his fellow assassins. Once he reaches Sloan’s office, he is surrounded. Sloan explainsthat every assassin inthe Fraternity appeared as a target according to the loom. Fox, still devoted to the loom’s decrees, curves a bullet around the room to hit every Fraternity member, including herself. Sloan and Wesley slip away unharmed. Wesley appears to return to his terrible life, seemingly back in his office job. Sloan enters the office to kill Wesley, only to discover a decoy in his place. Wesley kills Sloan with a sniper rifle from Cross’s apartment across town. The film ends as he turns to the camera and asks the audience what they’ve done lately.
The answer to Wesley’s final question, unfortunately, will be the same for every viewer. They’ve watched a film withsome decent action scenesand solid performances but some of the worst try-hard writing of the generation.Wantedwould be better served by a carefully cut compilation. See it for Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy in some great action scenes, but tune out whenever anyone opens their mouth.
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