Entertaining But Totally Disturbing

Rating: 6/10 (28 June 2008)

This movie has potential. James McAvoy does a decent job in his role as an average Joe who transforms into a ruthless killer. Angelina Jolie works her magic as a goddess of sex and death and Morgan Freeman knocks 'em dead with his spot-on portrayal of the paternalistic but decidedly sadistic ring leader. The action is non-stop in a nice way; what the movie lacks in substance it makes up for in awe-inducing effects that suspend us in a state of mindless, heart pumping excitement.
What I cannot *fathom* is why the creator of this film had to ruin what would make a perfectly entertaining if not terribly enlightened summer flick with disturbing violence that takes on a distinct fetishistic quality and morals so distorted they could hardly be called such. Wanted end's up bordering on a snuff film; or at least someone peaking inside the fantasy of an angry teenage outcast who plays too much Grand Theft Auto. It takes the concept of coming-of-age, rags-to-riches and twists it into a mangled horror-show that says one thing above all else: Killing is Cool. Being a human being with no friends, no life and no heart is bad ass and really gets the girls - it's what makes a man.
The hardest part about watching this film is that I could not hate it. It had it's funny moments, it had a likable main character and profound special effects. Clearly, however, somebody decided that they needed to make a mindless action/thriller into a powerful, daring statement about society and instead created a vicious abomination. Somebody ought to have stepped in and made some changes before this piece of action-packed filth got to theatres. This is NOT anything you want your kids watching. In fact, I think it really says something about the people who participated in the making of this - these are not people who make acceptable models for our youth. This sort of thing ought not to make a single penny.
In the end, the only thing that "Wanted" really kills is any idea of responsible film-making.