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.
Blu-ray Features:
2 Disc Set
Anamorphic Widesceen
Audio:
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 - English
DTS 5.1 Surround - French, Spanish
Subtitles - English, French, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
Alternate Opening
Behind the Scenes - The Making of Wanted: The Game
Extended Scenes
Featurette - 1. Groundbreaking Visual Effects: From Imagination to Execution
2. The Origins of Wanted: Bringing the Graphic Novel to Life
3. Through the Eyes of Visionary Director Timur Bekmambetov
4. Stunts on the L Train
5. Special Effects: The Art of the Impossible
Interactive Features:
BD Live - My Wanted Commentary
BD Live - Exclusive Content
BD Live - My Scenes Sharing
BD Live - My Chat
U Control - Motion Comics
U Control - Scene Explorer
U Control - Assassin Profiles
U Control - Picture in Picture
Additional Products:
4 Collectible Postcards
Wanted - Motion Comics
Lenticular Scene in an Acrylic Frame
Disc 2 - WANTED Digital Copy
Stars
James McAvoy: Star, Bollywood Queen
Morgan Freeman: American Actor
Angelina Jolie: Oscar-winning actress, GIRL, INTERRUPTED, TOMB RAIDER
Thomas Kretschmann:
Common: Chicago-based Rapper/Songwriter
Terence Stamp: British actor
Director
Timbor Bekmambetov: Director, ESCAPE FROM AFGHANISTAN (2002)
Producer
Marc Platt: Producer, THE SEEKER: THE DARK IS RISING
Jim Lemley: Executive Producer, WE WERE SOLDIERS (2002)
Jason Netter: Producer
Iain Smith:
Screenwriter
Michael Brandt: Screenwriter, 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (2003)
Derek Haas: Screenwriter, 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (2003)
Chris Morgan: Screenwriter
Composer
Danny Elfman: Score composer
Editor
David Brenner: Oscar Winning Editor, began in late '80s, Oliver Stone films
Director of Photography
C. Mitchell Amundsen: Director of Photography, THE COUNTRY BEARS (2002)
Executive Producer
Adam Siegel: Executive Producer, THE PERFECT MAN (2005)
Executive Producer
Gary Barber: Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Marc Silvestri: Top Cow, CEO; Comic Book artist/creator
Executive Producer
Roger Birnbaum: Producer/Executive
Source Writer
J.G. Jones: Comic book artist
Source Writer
Mark Millar: Graphic novel author
Story
Derek Haas: Screenwriter, 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (2003)
Story
Michael Brandt: Screenwriter, 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (2003)
Production Designer
John Myhre: Art Director
Review 1:
"Much of the entertainment value comes from jaw-dropping stunts and explosive action sequences, which are high-octane fun....Highly inventive..."
Source: USA Today
06/27/2008
Review 2:
"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."
Source: Los Angeles Times
06/27/2008
Review 3:
"[T]here's global realpolitik glee to the filmmaker's fancy-splatter approach to violence."
Source: Entertainment Weekly
50 07/11/2008
Review 4:
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..."
Source: Empire
p.48 08/01/2008
Review 5:
"[I]t rivets your attention....McAvoy's transition from anxious office serf to swaggering killer has some emotional depth and a runty, fearful stoicism."
Source: Sight and Sound
p.80 09/01/2008
Review 6:
"[I]ts speedily unfolding plotline doesn't disappoint, with as many twists and turns as its characters' stunning mid-air moves."
Source: Premiere
06/20/2008
Review 7:
3 stars out of 5 -- "Relentlessly paced, the film barrels by like the express train Jolie bodysurfs..."
Source: Total Film
p.138 12/01/2008