Wanted

[children with angels]

A really, really strange film!

I enjoyed it quite a lot. There was something in the way the action scenes were filmed that made me enjoy them much more than I normally do these cgi-fests with their ridiculous-to-the-point-of-parody sequences - I think it has to do with how we're made to feel the space - like, you can understand the relationship between things rather than being totally disoriented. Generically it jumped around more than I thought it would, I mean: it basically starts out as Fight Club then becomes the Matrix via some really bloody violence and Da Vinci Code-esque conspiracy theory.

SPOILERS

But the most enjoyable thing about this was the FUCKING LOOM part of the plot!! I like how they hid that from us in the trailers, as if they knew no one would go see a film with something so goddamn bizarre at its centre. What a truly odd plot strand! It was an interesting (and, of course, silly, but nevertheless interesting) conceit that actually held my attention and imagination through its bizarreness and thematic reverberations. I'm reading The God Delusion at the moment, and whilst watching I kept thinking about the similarities with religion - or at least the questionable logic of relying on ancient rules/codes of conduct/ moral frameworks in the modern world. It's obviously something that's pointed out openly in the film too (the crossbow above the bed where the crucifix should be, the whole "like the apostles, our job isn't to interpret" dialogue, etc.). And of course reliance on old texts is vulnerable to corruption by the powerful for personal gain, as happens here. It doesn't bear thinking about as a remarkably deep or precise allegory, but there's food for thought there - or at least enough food for thought to keep my brain whirring while being entertained by the enthusiastic silliness.

This is certainly not a great film, but it's one that I enjoyed quite a bit more than I thought I would, and has more going on and generally going for it than, say, Incredible Hulk or Jumper or Speed Racer or Indiana Jones.

[Kal]

This was so bad I was laughing very hard the whole time. People were looking at me like WTF.

The voice over, McAvoy, Jolie, even Morgan Feeeman (is he in every movie that comes out lately? specially summer blockbusters). So ridiculous. The whole bizarre thing with the boss and the best friend was hilarious. They try to make it as normal and pathetic life but everything else is more unrealistic than Matrix or Mission Impossible. The whole training was fun. Plus the action scenes, plus the whole plot that took itself too seriously, plus the fucking bomb/rats, the loom, the car chase at the beginning, the train crash that killed 300 innocent people so that these idiots could do their thing.

Very funny stuff. I dont remember who said something about it but this may be funnier than Zohan Angelina is smokin though. Havent seen a movie with her in a while so I did not mind that she was there.

[MacGuffin]

I enjoyed it for what it was; a mindless, check-your-brain-at-the-door, don't-question-the-laws-of-movie-physics action flick. Then again, I like Shoot 'Em Up too.

[cinemanarchist]

NEVER WORK

Hey, at least his nonsense is slightly less pretentious in the WANTED thread. Is it possible we can trap him inside this thread and then seal it up and release it into the cold and infinite vacuum of space?

[SiliasRuby]

i laughed. hard. at the final moments of this. there's so much to lovehate about this. never before have i so fully embraced the so bad it's good feeling. no one who made this could've been 100% serious. this is a triumph of awfulness. it's so clearly written by an angry man who is just. writing the best fucking action MOVIE EVER and what did you say? fuck you! you try doing this!

spoilers

i don't think i've ever heard freeman sware before. when he said 'motherfucker' he delivered every syllable with equal grace and precision.

edit: cinemanarchist, a guy in our crowd went "ew." during the kiss. everyone laughed. it was timed so perfectly. this was just a great experience. of horribleness.

Couldn't have said it better, horrible and strange in the best sense of the words. Angelina is quite beautiful as always and freeman is badass as anyone can be...amazing movie in the worst way.

[polkablues]

I'll give it this, it wasn't nearly as bad as Shoot Em Up.  But it was still really, really bad.