Wanted

Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Screenwriter: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, Chris Morgan
Starring: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Common, Terence Stamp, Marc Warren
Running time: 111 mins
Certificate: 18

Steven Seagal, Arnie, Jean Claude Van Damme and Sly Stallone have all got two things in common. The first thing is none of them could act their way out of a paper bag. The second is that they have all at some point in their career made brilliant movies despite this lack of thespian talents. What would happen though if they were replaced in one of their gun totin', ass-whooping action flicks by someone who could actually deliver a line with conviction?

Russian director Timur Bekmambetov asks that very question with his high-octane comic book adaptation Wanted. The highly credible James McAvoy takes on the role of Wes, a humdrum accounts manager who turns out to have the hidden skills of a pumped-up smoking-hot action hero. Rescued from a grocery store shooting by the bendy and beautiful Fox (Jolie), Wes is welcomed into a secret sect called the Fraternity, which is led by the enigmatic Sloan (Freeman).

Wes is informed that his father, who he never met, has just been killed by a Fraternity traitor, and is told that he is the only one who can kill the perpetrator. He is then trained to channel his superhuman reflexes and agility by Sloan, Fox and their multi-skilled crew, morphing him from a pathetic, good-for-nothing nine-to-five office clone into a bulging, prize-fighting sharp-shooter.

This basic plot of ordinary man-turned-action hero may not sound particularly scintillating, but even without a rather neat plot twist at the end, it proves thoroughly satisfying throughout. Bekmambetov chucks enough brain-splattering shoot-outs, white-knuckle car chases and Tarantino-esque dark humour into the mix that the weak and unconvincing backstory doesn't dampen the movie's enjoyment.

McAvoy, whose Hollywood stock will surely rise even further after this outing, is loveable and believable as slacker Wes in the early parts of the film, but is equally impressive as Wes the superhero. The Scottish star, who appears to be slowly smooching his way around Hollywood's sexiest leading ladies (Knightley, Jolie), pulls off the switch from downbeat loser to testosterone-fuelled alpha male with aplomb.

The downtrodden sarcasm and skepticism of McAvoy's character plays out beautifully next to the cold ruthlessness of Jolie and Freeman. While Jolie is hardly stretching herself, she is at her alluring, sizzling best as soldier Fox and there is a gratuitous bottom shot for audience members that way inclined.

Bekmambetov will be man in high demand after this flick. Already a superstar in his homeland, the Russian proves a dab hand at kitchen-sink action sequences. Whether it's a high-speed train dangling from a broken bridge or Angelina Jolie cavorting around a moving car in a short skirt, he delivers the sort of visceral thrills that will leave you gagging for more.

Wanted never takes itself too seriously and is fully aware of its frailties. This is fast and furious popcorn munching fodder, which doesn't waste time dabbling in meaningful theorising or contemplation. McAvoy's superhuman powers are explained with one throwaway line, while the movie's explosive finale revolves around some exploding rodents and peanut butter. Raising the bar for action movies in 2008, Wanted will be on a fair few DVD shopping lists come Christmas.


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