Wanted

Let your heart rate increase to 400, let yourself be kissed by Angelina, and above all, let everything go. Because it's just futile writhing from nowhere to nowhere. You won't find a more peculiar way to find spiritual revival anytime soon. Twist the path to the bullets, fulfill the mission, or just enjoy it splendidly. Because James McAvoy as the God of Chaos is watching over you and makes you forget that the plot about a woven message is actually just a big nonsense. So now you can tell me, why are you here...? (2008-08-14)

Wanted is like a giant shiny bubble that captures attention and acts as an amusement park attraction, but its lifespan is terribly short and it doesn't leave anything valuable behind. The impressive action scenes can't overshadow the fact that the film is intellectually shallow and doesn't create any functional fantasy world that would engulf the viewer. As a result, the stupidities like bending bullets or superkillers jumping from one skyscraper to another stand out even more. Not that the current cinema doesn't abound in such things, but here everything is subordinate to visuals and action, so in the end, it misses the mark for me. Overall impression: 15%. It's exactly the kind of action movie that completely bypasses me and actually bothers me in practice because a huge amount of energy and financial resources could be used more meaningfully in the film industry... (2011-03-25)

The actors are of course great and also quite sexy, but Wanted is a one-sided exhibition of its director. Bekmambetov may be a visual gourmet and a big fan of straightforward cinematic action, which makes the film flow incredibly well with scenes that outdo each other thanks to the effectiveness of the effects and the rhythmic editing, but he somehow forgot that a pure action flick should also tell a story. Wanted tries to have a stylish plot, and there is even one big twist (which comes to the surface during the most frantic action sequence), but it all feels too shallow and superficial.... No one can deny its potential to help you switch off your brain, but unfortunately, in the busy Hollywood competition, I demand a little more than that. 70% (2012-03-01)

I was expecting a bigger action bomb, everything was is too free and cool for it to captivate me. This is not another Matrix, this loaded and spectacular ride is basically a banal simple story about an outsider who gets beaten up, goes through a tough training, where the ending can be easily guessed. The action scenes are not as excellent as I expected and the slow-motion effects are not as effective as I expected. However, the whole thing looks daring, unconventional, and above all, it doesn't take itself too seriously, so I'm able to accept the bending bullets, the camera gun, the digital high-speed train, and the flying Viper. I have already said that Bekmambetov has a sense and talent for action, but he should finally give it his all and forget about slow-motion and other technical nonsense that only disrupts an otherwise solid pace. (2008-11-08)

A very pleasant surprise. Great actors, good action, not nearly as bad a script as I expected and above all a generous portion of directorial ideas. Too bad about the lower budget and thus unimaginative production design and maybe too frantically filmed fights. Anyway, an enjoyably anarchic extravaganza that pulls no punches. (2008-06-23)