Wanted
Hmmm, a summer action movie with Angelina Jolie, and my wants to see it. A no-brainer, right? I guess I should be forthcoming and admit that I could be adequately entertained watching Angelina Jolie flip pancakes. In “Wanted,” she doesn’t flip any pancakes, but instead she plays a secret-society assassin who targets victims handed out by a loom of fate. Hey, that’ll do!
As for Jolie, I’ve seen her in “Tomb Raider” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” She knows action movies and how to wield a gun while looking both good and capable, but we never really get to know her here. She’s basically window dressing, while we follow the plight of Wesley, who must avenge his father’s death by killing a rogue assassin.
Aside from the unconvincing “Fight Club” development of Wesley, the movie suffers in other areas. Special effects are certainly expected in action movies, and often, they sparkle here. But, it’s an overindulgence to suggest that by swinging your arm while firing a gun that your mind (and/or physics) will cause a bullet to not only bend in its path, but complete a loop. “Myth Busters” tried this with magnets; sorry folks.
Other "over the top" feats are included, but that is almost expected these days. At least “The Matrix” provided a reason for physics to be ignored, but we’re asked to believe that a assassin group borne out of an ancient group of Weavers (yes, textile workers) somehow knows better.
What if…I had proceeded through the traffic light without looking first? What if…I had accepted that other job offer? What if…I turned left instead of right at the fork in road? And so on. This is the hand of fate, something we all reflect upon at some time in terms of chance or providence. Of course, the loom is also completely absurd. But movies need their plot devices, so let’s yield to the notion.
Interesting questions, all of which are completely unanswered in the film. Without completely spelling out the p.l.o.t., the names provided from the loom are revealed to no longer be true to their source, but perverted by human self-interest.
This, in itself, is predictable for
An example: DNA is coded information that is rapidly being understood to literally spell out our physical attributes. We’re taught to accept that this code resulted from time + chance (fate?), resulting in my brown hair and blue eyes, amongst other features. The moral component we understand to have evolved on our own after generations of societal constraints and a need for self-preservation. In short, we don’t need an author of the Code, and those that do seek an author are frequently ridiculed.
The fictional loom, however, is accepted to have provided coded information from an unknown and unstated source that had a moral underpinning, at least until it was defiled by human tampering. It’s curious that the movie writers took the “easy” way out, assigning a human author to the Code, rather than fathoming the mystery of fate itself, a credit that resulted in “The Matrix” becoming something more than just another action movie.
To be sure,
Oh, and did I mention Angelina Jolie looks good?
I love Angie too. I have seen most everything she has done, including one of her very first movies, Hackers. You want some good laughs, rent it and listen to the outdated computer language, lol. I think Gia is still one of her most outstanding pieces of work. I don't know if you have watched the behind the scenes stuff on the first Lara Croft movie, but I admired how she worked very hard to learn everything she needed to know to become Lara Croft. Angie's interview with James Lipton is one of my favorites. I will have to get this when it comes out on DVD just for her. *grin*
ReplyDeleteHey Reese, nice review of Wanted. I noticed you mentioned a Mythbusters experiment in your post...
ReplyDeleteDid you know that their next big special is airing soon? It's actually kicking off this year's Shark Week! It all starts on Sunday, July 27th, at 9PM. Check out the website for some more info and fun features like Shark Yourself:
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/sharkweek/sharkweek.html
I hope you don't mind me contacting you like this; I figured you'd be interested (since you watch Mythbusters and everybody likes Shark Week!). Feel free to contact me if you'd like to hear more info; I work with Discovery and definitely have the inside scoop. Have a great day, and keep up the nice posts on your blog.
Shawn Grover
shawngrover2008@gmail.com
I love mythbusters! Ed and I watch that! I love that dudes handlebars! :-o
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