Overall Impression – (Thrilling action) + (brutal violence) x (visionary director) = (visually exciting movie that depressed the hell out of me.)
THE FOUR QUESTIONS
Who’s your main character? – Wesley.
What’s he trying to accomplish? – Professional: learn how to be an assassin. Personal: Kill the man who killed his father. Private: discover who he really is.
Who’s trying to stop him? – At first it’s the members of the “Fraternity” by making becoming an assassin bloody difficult…and I don’t mean “bloody” in the British sense. Next it’s Cross, the guy Wesley believes killed his father. Next, it’s the guy who really caused his father to be killed..
What happens if he fails? – He ends up being killed, one way or the other.
THE FOUR ARCHETYPES
Orphan – Wesley grew up believing his father was dead. He has a cheating girlfriend, no money in the bank, a dead-end job…even the guy’s ATM machine calls him names.
Wanderer – Wesley tries to figure out how to become an assassin. He trains, gets bloodied, recovers, gets bloodied, recovers…until finally the lessons take hold.
Warrior – Wesley goes out on his first mission and after being attacked, is sent to find Cross. He tracks Cross to Europe and is almost killed, however he discovers a deeper conspiracy than what he first thought.
Martyr – Wesley is willing to give up his own life to avenge his father, but the stronger martyr beat is given to another character who defends the code of the Fraternity at great cost.
AND, IN THE END…
I’ve seen a few movies over the years that are incredible pieces of moviemaking but leave me feeling afterwards that life is just a little bit less worth living. SE7EN was one of them. So was SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. The imagery is so disturbing that it calls into question my humanity for enjoying (if that’s the right word) the experience of watching the movie.
To this list I can now add WANTED. Structurally it’s very sound, but with all that talent in front and behind the camera, and with all the innovation and creativity of its writers and director…is this a movie the world needs to see?
Sure…who am I to talk? I’m the guy who wrote BLOODSPORT 2. But I also wrote a wonderful humane dramedy called OUT OF THE WOODS for the Hallmark Channel. I just hope that the creative forces behind WANTED also use their considerable skills for something that brings more light into the world.
Damn…I’m beginning to sound old.
— Jeffrey Alan Schechter
