Okay, this one is most likely for the guys in the audience.
I’ll grant you, many a fine lady enjoys the traditional manly movie elements; car chases, explosions, big guns and one man facing impossible odds to be the ultimate badass. Or one woman, for that matter.
Hell, I just wrote that sentence, and when I stopped to think about it, the very first person in cinema that comes to mind when I think of the ultimate badass overcoming impossible odds, it isn’t a man; it’s Ripley, of Aliens fame.
The second is Spartacus.
I’ll leave the whole subject of gladiator films and their symbology for another day. You can thank me later.
But this is still, totally, a sexist movie review.
The movie up for discussion?
WANTED.
Okay, I saw the trailer for this thing go up months back, and I saw the whole ‘curve the bullet’ thing in the trailer, and the carved and engraved bullets in flight, and I instantly, and I mean automatically, wrote this off as a worthless piece of crap.
When it comes to movies concerning people who use firearms, I am not interested in pure flights of fantasy. Ballistics and physics aren’t suggestions; they’re the law.
A little playing around, like when two snipers are shown with the obligatory ‘one shoots the other THROUGH the scope’ scene, while annoying as hell, is acceptible. Barely.
But this trailer made it clear they were taking it way the hell to another level of bullshit.
You want my idea of a fine piece of fiction concerning firearms?
Read darn near anything by Stephen Hunter. That man KNOWS firearms, ballistics, and the reality of sniping, and can translate it into a hell of a story. His novel, Point of Impact, was turned into an okay film called Shooter, starring Mark Wahlburg. Why okay? The screenwriter had a marvelous gem of a book with some serious knowledge behind the shooting, and they really didn’t make much use of it at all. Used the basics of the story, though. Could have been so much better, but such is life. I like Marky Mark.
But, Wanted. Oh my lord, that trailer was crap.
“Curve the bullet”. Are you kidding me? Curve this, idiots. /raspberry.
So I took a pass when it came to theaters.
I’m in the library a while back, looking for something worth a read, and I spy with my little eye a graphic novel by Top Cow called Wanted… and it has a blurb on the cover saying it’s soon to be a major motion picture starring Angelina Jolie.
And it is most emphatically a super hero comic miniseries.
Say what the hell?
So I check it out and bring it on home.
I read this thing, and it’s a trip. It’s a big old, self-contained, “What if” story.
What if the super heroes and the super villains had a war… and lots of other really wild, trippy, what the hell kind of stuff.
It had massive amounts of what I can only characterize as 12 year old wish fulfillment, leavened with explosions and car chases and a sick but somehow amusing dark and evil sense of humor. It is definitely not for the young readers in the audience.
Hello, main character is an assassin. This may be a clue that the book, being a picture book, is not safe for the under 7 set.
Which is why my finding it in the young reader section was so irritating, but what the hell. I’ve gotten used to the librarians shelving the Ultimates in there, why not this?
It was, truly, a guilty pleasure to read. It was just so damn wrong, but fascinating like a cobra stare. And having a solid knowledge of Marvel and DC comics universes, the super hero and villain history it was exploring from the dark side of the mirror was quite visible… and interestingly imagined.
The whole graphic novel spoke directly to that part of the brain that is never satisfied with your real life, and fantasizes about being a super hero. Of breaking out of your boring real life, and finding out you are special, and there are limits for everyone else, but not for YOU.
Like I said… totally a 12 year old wish fulfillment fantasy story.
After I read it, I thought of the movie they had done… and I could only wonder.
How the hell could any movie possibly do any justice to this story, without earning an X rating? Or having the wild and insane story just butchered and neutered?
The graphic novel was just so dark and freaky nuts, and they did a MOVIE?!? No way!
Let’s just say I rolled a disbelief check on that one. I admired the graphic novel for doing a damn good job for what it was, and the writers for being brave as hell in publishing such an incredible comic drenched in adolescent power fantasies, but I figured the movie just had to suck.
Yesterday, the movie arrived from Netflix.
And after Alex was tucked safely into bed, I sat up and watched this thing, fascinated to see how horribly they mangled the concept.
Along the way, I came to an astounding realization.
The movie didn’t suck.
Don’t get me wrong; they did NOT faithfully reproduce the graphic novel.
But somehow, in some unfathomable way, they managed to capture much of the essence of the graphic novel, and it was a total surprise.
Plot was mangled, the gunfights were totally bullshit, in fact if you like any form of reality in your action films, pack up your bags and blow the trailor park, you won’t find it in here.
But the essence of what made the graphic novel an entertaining guilty pleasure is still here, alive and well. And the guts of the journey Wesley Gibson takes is here, as well.
Color me astonished.
Gunfights, car chases, explosions, worthless turd overcomes impossible odds to become an unstoppable baddass super-assassin in six weeks?
Yep, sho nuff. Believable? Oh, please.
And yet, having read the graphic novel, I found myself enjoying the movie, recognizing key elements of the original story, identifying where they chose to change things in different ways to drop the super hero aspects for the general public, and where they made decisions to keep the black, foul heart of the original story alive. And for the most part, I was okay with it.
I never thought I’d say this, but….
I do recommend you give Wanted a chance.
With a caveat.
Read the graphic novel first.
You HAVE to read the graphic novel first. I can’t even imagine how bad that movie would be if you didn’t have some kind of context to know where some of that came from.
It’s not an ‘A’ movie… it’s not even a ‘C’ movie. But it’s the first time in a long time that I can think of a movie being done from a book that, in itself, had absolutely no socially redeeming merits whatsoever… and the movie actually ALMOST stayed true to that theme. They came real close. They copped out in the end… but I was willing to give ‘em that, when I saw where they went with it.
This… this film is no Ladyhawke. Hell, it ain’t even The Blood of Heroes.
It is totally not a movie I would recommend for anyone that has an interest in anything more than blood, violence, explosions and car chases, done without much concession to reason.
If you want the same elements done in a smart way, go watch DeNiro in Ronin (a film I really love).
But if you are willing to read the graphic novel first, I gotta say… this was an entertaining ride.
Ya know, I tend to have the same thoughts about games made into movies. Take Doom for example. Ugh. Soooo when Hitman came out, I didn’t give it a second thought. I’d never played the game, let alone cared to even give the movie a go. Soooo…. My hubby re-enlisted in the US Coast Guard recently, and recieved his bonus the other day. Horray! You signed away your life for another 6 years, here have 11k and get your butt back to work sort of situation goin on.
Anyways, we’re like, woohoo! I tell hubby he’s such a trooper signing away his soul to provide his family with food that he could pick out anything he wants as a gift to himself before I ninja the rest and pay off bills and christmas with it. He decides upon a shiny new PS3 for the Blu-Ray player, and the movie, Hitman. (He also wants a gun, but thats another story for another time)
Anyways, long story short, I was skeptical. However, I really enjoyed the movie. It had a great story and wasn’t too hard to follow despite the fact that I had never touched the game. Lots of action (Holy crap a girl who likes action flicks AND plays WoW >.>) and all around good stuff. Lots of naked russian chick though, not safe for your children. I hope you get the chance to see it, if you haven’t, and I look forward to picking up Wanted tomorrow!
The comic was great, i was a little peaved when I saw the trailers and found out there is no reference to the super villains, but it was a pretty good movie. Mark Millar does some great comics, I love his work, and definite must for anyone that likes the darker stuff.
Couldn’t agree more. The movie without the graphic novel to see what they attempted it wouldn’t have been nearly as interesting. Along those lines, while I know (hope) it will be a great movie, read the watchmen.
Take care,
Draleon
Didn’t read the graphic novel first so I thought it was pretty crap. Just too far fetched.
And remember, all hail the magic loom!
Hated the graphic novel. My was it sexist. Which one gets used to generally and it needs to be pretty extreme to make me this angry anymore.
The women were portrayed pretty badly but the bit that killed it totally for me was when the main character, decided he didn’t want to rape the cop and just decided to kill her instead.
….
And that made him all hero in the eyes of the writer.
because you know, he could have done it and still being something more than a worm…
I’d advise if you havent read the comic, don’t.
Because it will make you want to vomit before seeing the film.
And if even you have seen the film, still don’t.
Chalk Mark Miller up there with Frank Miller for being one of those people who should be considered on the same level as pond skum and move on with your life.
Read something good instead.
Well I am an avid Graphic Novel reader, from all writers really. The graphic novel was very mature, and if you can’t stomach mature, I would suggest staying out of most graphic novels.
Moving to the Movie/Novel comparison I would have to second that it has a strong connection to the novel in that relating sense. Of course there is lots of gun scenes, car chases, and such. But it never suggested less than such things. And once again its a world with superheros. Once you put any element that is undefinable via scientific method, reality just allowed itself to me molded like putty. So thus anything becomes possible.
Read the Graphic Novel (Warning here its GRAPHIC, like its stated). Watch the movie. Decide for yourself. Its not like its the end of the world if you don’t like it. :D
I politely disagree about reading the novel first. I saw the movie without knowing a thing about the graphic novel. My only preparation was a friend saying “They’re basically superhero assassins.” I loved it. I wasn’t watching it for realism, I was watching it to see ridiculous things happen. For that, it delivers. Afterward, when I found out what a rich backstory the graphic novel sets up, I felt a little cheated. I also found it silly they gave that BS about adrenal glands or something instead of just saying “yes, you have superpowers” If you’re going to make a movie with superpowers, why try and hide it?
Read the novel before or after, but I do suggest you read it along with the movie.
and to merrua I would only say that yes, its dark and quite extreme at points, but that doesn’t automatically make it bad literature. Not to your tastes, fine, but some of us like an antihero (or non-hero even) story sometimes.
Ralowae and BlackTooth, Zangarmarsh
Even though I think Angelina Jolie is the human equivalent of a wet napkin I really enjoyed Wanted. But then again, I have the ability to just turn off my brain for shoot-em-up style movies and disregard the plot so I can just enjoy the car chases and explosions. I really like car chases and explosions. Which reminds me, the first 20 minutes of Quantum of Solace were AMAZING.
I do have to disagree with you about Shooter though. Bleh. Too many plot-holes, even my turned-off brain was annoyed. And in regards to Marky Mark, “Word to ya mutha.”
So…..he’s a Death Knight in a modern world?
When I saw the trailer, I had the same reaction as BBB. But since I already pay the monthly Blockbuster fee, I decided to go ahead and rent it anyway (I do that with a lot of movies I won’t pay to see in the theater). Still haven’t watched it though. My wife tried and turned it off after 15 min (fyi she totally loves senseless slaughter movies!) “It was too silly” were her exact words
But before I watch it I will see if I can get the novel from my library.
And I agree about Hitman, fun movie.
Picked this up last night and I have to say my wife and I both enjoyed watching it. She had wanted to watch it when it came out and I was hesitant to see it. (note my wife wants to watch any movie with Angelina Jolie in it)
Anyway I’ve never been one for graphic novels but I still like over the top action movies. I can usually overlook plot holes and flawed logic if it really advances the story. If it is a movie that is supposed to be realistic but has such plot holes then I lose interest quick.
Anyway thanks for the recommendation it made my night last night.
heh, what?!? Step Brothers for the “ice” on the cream. Didn’t read the book, Didn’t see it at the movie house, just picked it up because of Will. :)
I have to say I just watched it and thoroughly enjoyed it. It has the same feel as another of my favorite movies, Fight Club. Same camera action, same type of zoom up and the same type of mantra What have you really, really done with your life? Have you become so owned by your possessions that you are no longer alive?