This week, Universal Pictures’ 2008 action thriller Wanted has been added to Netflix.
The film is very loosely based on the Wanted comic book series by Mark Millar and artist J.G. Jones. However, the film strays very far from the source material and completely eliminates the superhero connection.
James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie headline the movie and gave it the star power it still enjoys nearly two decades later.
If you’ve never seen Wanted before, here are three reasons why you should watch it on Netflix.
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James McAvoy Goes From Zero to Antihero
As part of their seemingly transparent attempt to get Wanted turned into a movie, Miller and Jones appeared to use the likeness of rapper Eminem as Wesley in the comic. Casting McAvoy as Wesley turned out to be the better choice, in part because he was always going to be a more talented actor than Eminem.
McAvoy is believable as Wesley when he’s still just an office drone without any future prospects. But he’s also compelling as Wesley undergoes training to become an assassin. In a nod to the comic, Wesley’s ability to be uncannily accurate with his shots is treated like a superpower. No matter what happens, the audience’s sympathy always lies with Wesley, even when he’s killing people for the so-called greater good.
Angelina Jolie Gives Fox an Intriguing Persona
Similar to the way that Millar and Jones fan-cast Eminem in the lead, their version of Fox in the comic book sure looked a lot like Halle Berry. Getting Berry for the role would have been quite a coup, but Wanted landing Angelina Jolie was an even bigger deal. Jolie was already a movie star by this point in time, but her celebrity life hadn’t quite overtaken everything else.
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Jolie arguably gives an even better performance as Fox than McAvoy does as Wesley. She’s effortlessly cool, seems confident holding a gun, and Fox is a true believer in the Fraternity. Any and all discussions about a Wanted sequel centered on whether Jolie would reprise her role. There’s a very good reason why she wouldn’t, and it maintains Fox’s mystique without betraying her character.
The Action Is Visually Intense
Russian director Timur Bekmambetov hasn’t quite recaptured the spectacle he created in Wanted in the years since this movie was released. Regardless, Wanted is easily one of the best action movies of the first decade of this century. The way the fighting and shooting sequences are depicted on-screen simply felt like a breath of fresh air compared to everything that was coming out at the time.
Bekmambetov’s action was also easy to follow without sacrificing its frantic pace or intensity. Jolie and McAvoy’s performances may carry the film, but the film’s dazzling visuals are its biggest draw. And it also helps that Bekmambetov cast Morgan Freeman as the film’s primary villain, Sloan. He plays the role with conviction, and Bekmambetov makes a point to give Sloan his comeuppance in a memorable way.
Wanted is now streaming on Netflix.
