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Cinema Junkie by Beth Accomando

Wanted: More James McAvoy

Wanted
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.

Teen Critic Candace Kavanagh -- 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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Arturo Lua from MMHS
September 25, 2008 at 06:37 PM
I love the gun fights in this movie, the hole curving the bullet thing is kinda corny but it worked for me. This is one of the best movies i have ever seen, its funny and full of action.

Garrett Graham from Mount Miguel High School
September 25, 2008 at 08:02 PM
I agree 100% with everything..!!! Yes everyone has had that day where their day will suck and life may seem to get extremely hard.. but life will always go on even if you become an assasin, although you know that will never happen but you can keep dreaming. I agree the whole "fraternity" thing was lame, it seemed to me that it down graded the tought of them all being assasins.And you have to realize that there is no "Bonding" moments...

Ezequiel Flores from Mount Miguel High School
September 25, 2008 at 08:03 PM
I would have to agree with Candace. This movie has those like qualities of any other fantastic action movie, yet James McAvoy's character brings about this thransformation of a low life to an extreme assasin. As for Jolie's character, she has that irony of a woman, teaching a man how to shoot a gun, and able to pull it off with no problem. Overall this movie is awesome and does not lack in action.

Jasmine Gandy from Mount Miguel High School
September 25, 2008 at 08:06 PM
The review of this movie was okay there could have been more to it, but it was explained fully with details and everything. I did agree on some of things that were said. But this movie can only be described in one word and that is "HARD". As we all know the bullet curving was kind of doing to much, but it did work for this movie. I liked it enough to see it three times so that just explains the fact of why its a good movie. I think all the actors fit every part they played in film. It was one of the top movies on my list for the year. Angelina Jolie is fine and I think everyone has to agree with that and common is too. The movie over all was GREAT!

Vince Hurdle
November 06, 2008 at 09:10 PM
I agree with garrett this film was awsome. But i do agree garrett again about the fraternity that art was pretty lame but they made up for it. Theres always a boss your not gonna like, but this movie was great the fights the bullets swerving everywhere, shooting bullets from distances that dont make since.