"Fight Club" meets "The Matrix"

Rating: Null/10 (1 July 2008)

"Wanted" is solid big screen entertainment with a lot of bang for your buck. From the impressively violent skyscraper opening to the bullet strewn end, this is a great escapist action movie from "Night Watch" director, Timur Bekmambetov.
James McAvoy is excellent as office worker turned assassin, guided by the very beautiful Angelina Jolie. McAvoy's transition in the film is convincing but a healthy suspension of disbelief is required for this comic book tale. Disengage brain and enjoy!
I was pleased to see Marc ("Hustle") Warren on the big screen. His creepy portrayal of the thoroughly unpleasant Repairman is a joy to watch.
The explosive set pieces are rather wonderful to behold, particularly the perilous sequence on a train.
Reminiscent of the "bullet time" scenes from "The Matrix", the special effects are first class. There's enough of the red stuff to guarantee this being a film pitched at adults, while the "Fight Club"-style narration will appeal to all those suffering the mind-numbing tedium of the rat race.
Unsurprisingly, a sequel is already in the works. It will be interesting to see what direction the follow-up takes as this is what I'd call "a complete movie".
The film differs vastly from the super-villains premise of Millar's original comic books but is a more Hollywood and budget-friendly project.
8 out of 10. Proper popcorn entertainment with dollops of style which may well improve on a second viewing. I'm actually looking forward to watching this bad boy again...