Wanted

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones, WANTED, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, follows anxiety-prone office drone Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) as he is inducted into the Fraternity, a clan of powerful killers that counted his father as a member. Pursued by rogue agent Cross (Thomas Kretschmann), Wesley is trained by the sleek, sexy Fox (Angelina Jolie) and the charismatic Sloan (Morgan Freeman), among others, to be just as proficient and deadly as his father. Once Wesley becomes a master assassin, he must confront Cross, and contend with the stunning ramifications of that encounter. Straying rather far from the WANTED comic's supervillain-centric premise, WANTED runs with the edgy Eastern European aesthetic of Russian helmer Bekmambetov, who garnered international recognition with the stylish vampire epic NIGHT WATCH. While Jolie is a gleefully destructive presence in her action-heavy scenes, the film belongs to McAvoy, who transforms from milquetoast to manhunter with verve and charm. And like the similarly themed THE MATRIX before it, WANTED also showcases some eye-catching special effects, most notably in the loopy concept of "curving bullets." Though devotees of the WANTED comic may be dismayed with the many liberties taken with the story, the movie is undeniably energetic and entertaining, making it fun summer blockbuster fare.

DVD FEATURES:

• Keep Case
  Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
  Full Frame - 1.33
  
• Audio:
  Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround Spanish
  Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English
  Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - French
  DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - English
  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

   

  Timur Bekmambetov

• Star:

   

  Thomas Kretschmann, James McAvoy, Terence Stamp, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Common

• Producer:

   

  Jason Netter, Marc Platt, Jim Lemley, Iain Smith

• Screenwriter:

   

  Michael Brandt, Chris Morgan, Derek Haas

• Composer:

   

  Danny Elfman

• Director of Photography:

   

  C. Mitchell Amundsen

• Production Designer:

   

  John Myhre

• Story:

   

  Michael Brandt, Derek Haas

• Editor:

   

  David Brenner

• Executive Producer:

   

  Adam Siegel, Marc Silvestri, Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber

• Source Writer:

   

  Mark Millar, J.G. Jones

REVIEWS:

• "Much of the entertainment value comes from jaw-dropping stunts and explosive action sequences, which are high-octane fun....Highly inventive..." — USA Today
• 3 stars out of 5 -- "Relentlessly paced, the film barrels by like the express train Jolie bodysurfs..." — Total Film
• 4 stars out of 5 -- "Bekmambetov understands pacing and escalation: set-pieces build in intensity, and each sequence is filled with inventive gags or gimmicks..." — Empire
• "[I]t rivets your attention....McAvoy's transition from anxious office serf to swaggering killer has some emotional depth and a runty, fearful stoicism." — Sight and Sound
• "[T]here's global realpolitik glee to the filmmaker's fancy-splatter approach to violence." — Entertainment Weekly
• "WANTED has audacity to burn....Jolie is all wolf, kohl-eyed and coldblooded....The adrenaline-overdose strategy works for viewers as well as hit men." — Los Angeles Times
• "[I]ts speedily unfolding plotline doesn't disappoint, with as many twists and turns as its characters' stunning mid-air moves." — Premiere

REVIEWS: