I first learned about Wanted walking through Barnes and Noble about this time last year. Than reading IMDB and IGN, etc. I found out they were making and movie and I rushed out to pick up the graphic novel. The novel stars a meek, hypochondriac name Wesley Gibson. He is your typical scared individual. He can not even keep is girlfriend from sleeping with his best friend. He lives his life with new fears everyday. Until one day he gets a visit from a jewel thief and his life is flipped upside down.
He learns of his fathers murder and occupation. Wesley is asked to fill the position. That position is as a Super Villain. I bet that this sounds very unfamiliar, unless you have read Wanted. This is the where the similarities end with the movie version of Wanted. The novel is based in a world that is controlled and run by Super Villains. Actually, Super Villains who joined together to eradicate Super Heroes, because they could not beat their Super Heroes rivals alone. Is that not awesome? As long as you have a special badge, you can do anything and everything you want. From murder, rape, theft, you name it.
Wesley decides to give up his horrible life and joins his Super Villain lineage. He enters into a world he can not imagine. His training beginnings and he learns he has an amazing talent with guns. As the story progresses Wesley finds he is caught into between the four factions of villains, controlling the world. While the super villains are united, there is a small group of Super Villains that look to seek power and run things differently. This leads to the crux of the story. Wanted is a great and unique story. I sincerely recommend it to everyone who saw the movie, comic book fan or anyone looking to read a cool story with great twists and turns.
Now onto the absurdity of the movie. First off, Angelina Jolie could not have been a worst choice for fox. In the comic, Fox looks much closer to Halle Berry than Jolie. They added Jolie mainly to attract an audience based on her looks and "so-called" appeal. James McAvoy, was not only badly cast, he did a horrible job as Wesley Gibson. The story was also terrible. Although, that is hard to believe considering the movie was optioned after the first two chapters were published. The worst and most egregious part of the movie was the "Loom of Destiny". Really, what the hell is that? A loom that provides the names of those who are meant to be killed. Where does this stupid thing come from, other than a writer with too much imagination and no common sense. The biggest disappointment about this movie is that it made enough money that a second one is coming out. A second one? Really, what is this going to be about? A magic crochet hook that weaves a blanket with the names of those of who need to be protected? They did not even come close to the story. While there are enough mediums in the world that the story can be told in different ways. For example, Running Man, the book was much different from the movie and both are great stories. This movie is a joke. How do you go from a world controlled by Super Villains that is unique, interesting and engaging. To a world run by assassins. Assassins, isn't that a movie with Stallone and Banderas? How many movies are there about assassins? Actually how many movies about assassins or assassin related topics are there with Common, at least four. Not one of them is good, maybe Street Kings. No, I changed my mind, even Street Kings was not that good. Why do movie studios have to alter comic book stories? Have they ever considered that people love to read comics because the stories can be amazing. People love to see movies because the stories can be amazing. What is the problem? I am so tried of hearing about how comic and video game properties have to be changed to fit the non-comic/gaming audiences. Last time I checked people went to the movies to see great stories, regardless of theme or audience. I am sorry for the rant, but I wish they could just make movies about the stories we already love, with scripts that follow those stories we love. What do you think?
- Aaron