Wanted is a film about assassins, revenge, and the idea that some people are simply better at killing than others. That sounds like a pitch for a grim, cerebral thriller. Instead, it plays like a video game dressed up as a movie, complete with a score that tells you exactly how cool the action is supposed to feel. The result is a fast, stylish mess that knows exactly what it wants to be but can’t quite make the case for itself.
James McAvoy stars as Wesley Gibson, a boring office worker whose life is turned upside down when he learns that his father was an assassin. He was also murdered by a rival group of killers. The film opens with Wesley being told that he has been marked for death. He is then recruited into the Fraternity, a secret society of assassins who believe that some people are predestined to kill. The setup is simple, and the execution is anything but.
Trailer, via Shout! Studios.
The Assassins and Their Rules
The Fraternity operates according to a set of rules that are as arbitrary as they are elaborate. They follow a map of lines drawn across the world, and they believe that certain people are fated to die. Wesley is told that he is one of those people. The film spends a lot of time explaining these rules, and it doesn’t bother to explain why anyone would follow them.
The mentor figure is played by Morgan Freeman, who explains the organization’s philosophy in a series of lectures that are meant to be profound. They aren’t. Freeman is a great actor, but he’s given nothing to work with here. His character is a walking exposition machine, and the film leans on him heavily to deliver its philosophical points.
The Action Sequences
The action sequences are the reason people watch Wanted. There are car chases, gunfights, and a memorable scene involving a glass ceiling. The film is shot with a kinetic energy that suggests a director who understands how to stage a fight. But the choreography is often over-the-top, and the film never quite commits to its own logic.
One sequence involves Wesley jumping through a window and landing on a moving train. The physics don’t hold up, but the stunt is impressive. Another involves a fight in a restaurant where Wesley throws a bottle of wine at a target, and it hits. These moments are fun, but they’re also hollow. The film is less interested in why Wesley is fighting than in how he fights.
The Romance
The love interest is played by Angelina Jolie, and her character is a fellow assassin who is initially Wesley’s rival. She later becomes his partner in crime. The relationship is meant to be romantic, but it’s undercut by the film’s willingness to treat both characters as objects. The film is full of women who are beautiful and deadly, but they’re rarely given anything to do beyond looking good and dispensing information.
Jolie is a commanding presence, and she brings a sense of danger to the role. But the script doesn’t give her much to say. Her scenes are mostly about seduction and betrayal, and the film never explores why she chooses to be an assassin. The romance is a plot device, not a character arc.
The Philosophy Problem
The film’s central idea is that some people are fated to kill. This is presented as a scientific principle, with the Fraternity believing that certain lines connect people in a way that determines their destiny. The problem is that the film never explains what these lines mean. Are they metaphysical? Are they social? Are they genetic? The film doesn’t say.
Freeman’s character tries to explain it in terms of chaos theory, but the analogy breaks down quickly. The film is more interested in the spectacle of assassination than in the meaning of assassination. The Fraternity is a convenient shorthand for a world where violence is predetermined, but the film never engages with the ethical implications of that worldview.
The Tone Problem
The tone of Wanted is inconsistent. It wants to be a serious thriller, but it keeps leaning into absurdity. The film is at its best when it’s playing with the idea of assassination as a game. One sequence involves Wesley shooting a man who is falling from a building, and the shot is precise. It’s a moment of pure spectacle, and it works.
But the film can’t sustain that tone for long. It keeps sliding into camp, with Wesley delivering lines about being “the ultimate killing machine” in a way that feels more like a parody of action movies than a genuine attempt at tension. The film’s attempts to be serious are undermined by its own excesses.
The Running Time
Wanted runs for 118 minutes, and it moves quickly. That speed is a double-edged sword. The film is easy to watch, but it’s also easy to forget. The pacing is brisk, but the lack of depth means that the film doesn’t leave much of an impression after it ends.
The film’s final act is a series of set pieces that are meant to build to a climax. There’s a confrontation with the villain, played by Tom Payne, and a final showdown that is meant to be cathartic. It’s not. The film rushes through its ending, and the resolution feels rushed.
The Soundtrack
The music is a driving force in Wanted. It’s loud, bombastic, and it tells you exactly how to feel during every action sequence. The score is meant to elevate the action, but it often overshadows it. The film is at its weakest when the music is doing the emotional work.
The film’s sound design is also notable. The sound of gunfire, glass shattering, and footsteps is amplified in a way that creates a sense of urgency. The film uses sound to create tension, and it’s effective in short bursts. But the constant use of the same techniques means that the film loses its edge over time.
The Verdict
Wanted is a film that is fun to watch but difficult to recommend. It has a strong cast, a kinetic visual style, and a premise that could have been interesting. But it fails to commit to its ideas, and it leans too heavily on spectacle over substance.
The film is at its best when it’s playing with the absurdity of its premise. The worst scenes are the ones where it takes itself seriously. The film is a guilty pleasure, but it’s a guilty pleasure that doesn’t earn its guilt.
Key Facts Box
- Title: Wanted
- Director: Timur Bekmambetov
- Release Year: 2008
- Runtime: 118 minutes
- Cast: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Tom Payne
- Score: 6.4 out of 10
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
