Wanted

64

Universal Pictures (110 minutes)
and Timur Bekmambetov
James McAvoy , Morgan Freeman , Terence Stamp , Thomas Kretschmann , Common , and Angelina Jolie

Rating: R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality

Summary: Wanted tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. 25-year-old Wes was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. Until he met a woman named Fox. After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad’s death by unlocking his dormant powers. With wickedly brilliant tutors—including the Fraternity’s enigmatic leader, Sloan—Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to dangerous associates than meets the eye. And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny. (Universal Studios)

Michael Rechtshaffen
The Hollywood Reporter:
(100) This over-the-top, ultraviolent, hyperkinetic action thriller pretty much has it all.

David Edelstein
New York Magazine:
(90) It takes about an hour after it's over for the heart to slow, the brain to recalibrate, and the nonsensicalness of the thing to sink in.

Shawn Levy
Portland Oregonian:
(83) Bekmambetov revs it up furiously and unleashes one bit of hyperactive, dazzling invention after another. The result is a throwaway wrapped up in the coolest packaging imaginable, which is acres better than the opposite.

Michael Sragow
Baltimore Sun:
(83) What's bleakly hilarious about the whole movie is that Bekmambetov directs the nonaction scenes just as hyperbolically.

Richard Corliss
Time:
(80) The summer's zazziest action movie.

Kim Newman
Empire:
(80) Not as dark as its source material, Wanted works exceptionally on its own terms. McAvoy crashes the A-list, Jolie finally gets to be as big a star on screen as she has been in print, and Bekmambetov proves the most exciting action-oriented emigré since John Woo.

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