Watch Wanted

The 2008 movie Wanted, based on a graphic novel by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones, is an action-packed adventure filled with suspense, style, and a dash of creativity. The movie stars James McAvoy as Wesley Gibson, a hapless and aimless young man whose life is forever changed when he discovers that he is the son of a legendary assassin and heir to his father's exceptional skills and talents.

The movie opens with a voiceover by Wesley, explaining how he feels like a nobody: a drone, just another face in the crowd, his life going nowhere fast. His dull existence is further punctuated with cruel, almost sadistic interactions with his boss at his dead-end office job, and with his unfaithful girlfriend who cheats on him with his best friend. He is pushed to the brink and he finally breaks down in a pharmacy, demanding prescription drugs despite not having a prescription.

It’s at this pharmacy where he first comes into contact with Fox, played by Angelina Jolie, who saves him from a group of assassins that ambush him in the shop. How did she know that he was going to be attacked? He has no idea. After this incident, Fox takes Wesley under her wing and enlightens him about his father's death, his inheritance, and the Fraternity, a secret organization of assassins that his father was part of.

Wesley at first refuses to believe that he has any talents as an assassin, but after a grueling and intense initiation process that shows off some of the movie's innovative, gravity-defying action scenes, he begins to understand that he has a gift that he must embrace. Led by the enigmatic Sloan, the Fraternity's leader, and an all-star cast of assassins, the group trains Wesley in the art of killing and shows him how to harness his adrenaline to achieve seemingly impossible feats. He can now curve bullets around corners, jump tremendous distances, and perform other feats that are as exciting as they are implausible.

The plot thickens when Wesley learns that the Fraternity is not just a group of do-gooders who work against those who have committed heinous crimes, but rather agents of fate who receive orders via a mysterious loom that weaves together names of individuals who have to be eliminated to preserve a delicate balance in the universe. This realisation, coupled with the revelation that his father's killer is still out there, sets Wesley on a collision course with destiny as he tries to navigate the complicated world of international intrigue.

Beyond the action, Wanted is a movie about redemption, self-discovery, and the pursuit of purpose. James McAvoy is perfect as the unlikely hero, playing the part of a bumbling civilian-turned-assassin with just the right amount of self-doubt, humor, and overconfidence. The scene between him and his father's old friend and fellow assassin Pekwarsky, played by Terence Stamp, is particularly poignant and revealing to Wesley's personal redemption arc.

The action scenes in Wanted are some of the most creative in recent memory, with director Timur Bekmambetov using a mixture of traditional and digital techniques to create incredible stunts that push the boundaries of what's possible onscreen. From the thunderous car chase on a freeway to the vertiginous fight on a train, the movie uses every opportunity to showcase its top-notch choreography and visual effects.

Perhaps most memorable is the scene where Fox decides to take Wesley to a secret bullet-making factory to teach him how to curve his bullets, in which an array of special artsy graphical effects takes center stage that one must see to truly understand the breathtaking skills of the Fraternity's elite killers.

In conclusion, Wanted is a thrilling, stylish, and visually stunning movie that combines the best elements of action, suspense, and drama. It showcases an all-star cast that brings a sense of emotional depth and nuance to their characters, while embracing the comic book roots of its source material. This is a movie that will keep the audience engaged from beginning to end, and leave them wondering whether they too could be part of a secret group of assassins.