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Arts & Culture

Wanted: More James McAvoy


James McAvoy busts out of a dead end job in Wanted (Universal)

By Candace Kavanagh

Does your job royally suck? Do you get a headache every time your annoying boss begins to yell at you? Do you have the inability to stand up against those who have stabbed you in the back? Do you have the lowest self-esteem known to mankind? If all of these are true maybe you should try to hang out at the counter of your local super market, and maybe a beautiful tattooed angel of death might come and rescue you from your pitiful life and swoop you away in her extremely hot car. All to a life of an extremely hot assassin who has super powers that include swerving bullets. Well that's what worked for Wesley, played by James McAvoy, in the newest action flick Wanted (opening June 27 throughout San Diego).

At the beginning of the movie we meet Wesley as he leads us through his life, that includes a cheating girlfriend, a backstabbing best friend, and a horrible boss. We quickly realize this guy is just what he says he is. A loser. But he's a funny one, which makes him extremely lovable. And because this film is well directed, his extreme anxiety becomes the audience's, which gives you sympathy for him. His life begins to change when he meets & Angelina Jolie's character, Fox (the previously mentioned angel of death), and you find yourself cheering for him. Your fist will begin to rise for him as he begins to win for the first time in his life. Well if you exclude the constant ass kicking he receives during his training from Fox and members of an organization known as The Fraternity. As Wesley begins to become better -- as shown through the typical training montage -- we feel our hearts rise with his fashion sense. All the while we get to see beautifully choreographed car chases and truly unreal gunfights. With the audience laughing at Wesley's awesome geekiness.

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Of course there are some glitches in this film. For instance there are some events that are about as predictable as a soap opera. Then the use of the word "fraternity" makes me lose respect for the association of assassins depicted in this film. This movie isn't without its corny moments. Oh and don't let the trailer trick you, there is no hot love scenes of James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie in this film. Yes, I know, I wanted to see them "bond" too.

As for all of you who complain about Wanted's unreal contents, let us go over some other unreal moments in cinema history. First off, getting bit by a spider does not give you super powers, just bumps. Secondly, cute little aliens who have lost their way home don't hide in little kids closets. And guess what? There are no such things as hobbits. So don't complain and & just enjoy the pure escapism of Wanted .

And it's all worth it to hear Morgan Freeman say the f-word. Twice. Sorry didn't mean to ruin the surprise.

Wanted is rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality.

-- Candace Kavanagh just graduated from Mount Miguel High School. She spends her life absorbing celluloid images. She loves every type of film from so-called "chick flicks" such as My Fair Lady and Legally Blonde, to mind bending thrillers like Mulholland Drive and Hard Candy -- with every zombie movie, action flick, musical, and comedy in between.

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