Movies
Weekend Box Office
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores
Wide Releases
Now In Theaters
76
(500) Days of Summer
60
9
17
All About Steve
37
Amelia
53
Astro Boy
66
Bandslam
xx
Box, The
61
Capitalism: A Love Story
54
Christmas Carol, A
43
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
66
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
29
Collector, The
23
Couples Retreat
80
District 9
61
Extract
39
Fame
30
Final Destination, The
xx
Fourth Kind, The
60
Funny People
32
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
27
Gamer
41
G-Force
39
Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, The
46
Halloween II
73
Hangover, The
78
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
55
I Can Do Bad All By Myself
66
Informant!, The
69
Inglourious Basterds
58
Invention of Lying, The
47
Jennifer's Body
66
Julie & Julia
34
Law Abiding Citizen
33
Love Happens
60
Men Who Stare At Goats, The
67
Michael Jackson's This Is It
51
My Sister's Keeper
42
Orphan
28
Pandorum
63
Perfect Getaway, A
86
Ponyo![]()
35
Post Grad
57
Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire
48
Proposal, The
30
Saw VI
53
Shorts
24
Sorority Row
83
Star Trek![]()
33
Stepfather, The
45
Surrogates
55
Taking Woodstock
47
Time Traveler's Wife
96
Toy Story/Toy Story 2 3D![]()
35
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
28
Ugly Truth, The
88
Up![]()
71
Where the Wild Things Are
67
Whip It
28
Whiteout
73
Zombieland
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Limited Releases
Now In Theaters
54
(Untitled)
96
35 Shots of Rum![]()
56
Adam
72
Adela
39
Adventures of Power
78
Afghan Star
61
After the Storm
66
Afterschool
xx
All the Best
58
American Casino
72
Amreeka
48
Antichrist
72
Araya
62
Art & Copy
55
As Seen Through These Eyes
76
Baader Meinhof Complex, The
86
Beaches of Agnes, The![]()
13
Beautiful Life, A
70
Beeswax
35
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
71
Big Fan
66
Black Dynamite
51
Blind Date
xx
Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly
76
Bliss
35
Blue Tooth Virgin, The
27
Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, The
57
Boys Are Back, The
45
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
81
Bright Star![]()
70
Bronson
45
Burning Plain, The
xx
Carriers
55
Casi Divas
57
Chelsea on the Rocks
62
Cloud 9
65
Coco Before Chanel
69
Cold Souls
xx
Collapse
44
Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
82
Cove, The![]()
75
Crude
82
Damned United, The![]()
67
Departures
xx
Dil Bole Hadippa
71
Disgrace
xx
Do Knot Disturb
70
Earth Days
24
Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat
84
Education, An![]()
xx
Eulogy for a Vampire
xx
Everyone Else
xx
Fatal Promises
56
Fifty Dead Men Walking
62
Five Minutes of Heaven
74
Flame & Citron
49
Food Beware: The French Organic Revolution
80
Food, Inc.
28
Free Style
xx
From Mexico with Love
50
Fuel
30
Gentlemen Broncos
50
Give Me Your Hand
58
Gogol Bordello Non-Stop
72
Good Hair
89
Goodbye Solo![]()
52
Grace
64
Harmony and Me
81
Headless Woman, The![]()
xx
Heretics, The
67
Horse Boy, The
73
House of the Devil, The
xx
How to Seduce Difficult Women
74
Humpday
94
Hurt Locker, The![]()
29
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
16
If One Thing Matters: A Film About Wolfgang Tillmans
75
In Search of Beethoven
83
In the Loop![]()
61
Intimate Enemies
42
Irene in Time
70
It Might Get Loud
46
Killing Kasztner
19
Labor Day
xx
Laila's Birthday
41
Little Ashes
41
Little Traitor, The
66
Liverpool
33
Looking for Palladin
80
Lorna's Silence
85
Maid, The![]()
xx
Ministers, The
59
More Than a Game
67
Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The
34
Motherhood
62
My One and Only
xx
Mystery Team
49
New York, I Love You
73
Night and Day
66
No Impact Man
49
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning
34
Other Man, The
xx
Painter Sam Francis, The
54
Paper Heart
xx
Paradise
68
Paranormal Activity
68
Paris
44
Peter and Vandy
35
Play the Game
xx
Pretty Ugly People
65
Providence Effect, The
76
Rembrandt's J'accuse
69
September Issue, The
79
Serious Man, A
40
Shrink
56
Skin
77
Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake, A
xx
Skiptracers
xx
Splinterheads
39
St. Trinian's
89
Still Walking![]()
50
Stoning of Soraya M., The
55
Storm
65
Tetro
76
That Evening Sun
72
Thirst
xx
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (re-release)
61
Trucker
xx
Turning Green
83
U2 3D![]()
66
Unmade Beds
66
Unmistaken Child
70
Visual Acoustics
55
Walt & El Grupo
67
Way We Get By, The
69
We Live in Public
62
Wedding Song, The
64
Where is Where?
xx
White on Rice
74
Woman in Berlin, A
69
World's Greatest Dad
70
Yes Men Fix the World
69
Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg
xx
You, the Living
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Wanted

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 38 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 256 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Action | Suspense/Thriller
Written by:
J.G. Jones (comic book series), Mark Millar (comic book series)
Michael Brandt (story & screenplay)
Derek Haas (story & screenplay)
Chris Morgan (screenplay)
Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov
Release Date:
Theatrical: June 27, 2008
DVD: December 2, 2008
Running Time: 110 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality
Starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, and Angelina Jolie
Wanted tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. 25-year-old Wes was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. Until he met a woman named Fox. After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad’s death by unlocking his dormant powers. With wickedly brilliant tutors—including the Fraternity’s enigmatic leader, Sloan—Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to dangerous associates than meets the eye. And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny. (Universal Studios)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Day Watch Night Watch
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen
This over-the-top, ultraviolent, hyperkinetic action thriller pretty much has it all.
Read Full Review >New York Magazine David Edelstein
It takes about an hour after it's over for the heart to slow, the brain to recalibrate, and the nonsensicalness of the thing to sink in.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy
Bekmambetov revs it up furiously and unleashes one bit of hyperactive, dazzling invention after another. The result is a throwaway wrapped up in the coolest packaging imaginable, which is acres better than the opposite.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
What's bleakly hilarious about the whole movie is that Bekmambetov directs the nonaction scenes just as hyperbolically.
Read Full Review >Empire Kim Newman
Not as dark as its source material, Wanted works exceptionally on its own terms. McAvoy crashes the A-list, Jolie finally gets to be as big a star on screen as she has been in print, and Bekmambetov proves the most exciting action-oriented emigré since John Woo.
Read Full Review >Variety Todd McCarthy
Like it or not, Wanted pretty much slams you to the back of your chair from the outset and scarcely lets up for the duration.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar
For all of its shortcomings, Wanted is a strangely enjoyable flick.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
The way to enjoy this film is to put your logic on hold, along with any higher sensitivities that might be vulnerable and immerse yourself as if in a video game.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone Peter Travers
Brutal, sexy, built to thrill and minus a scintilla of redeeming social value, the movie -- based on a series of comic books by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones -- explodes like summer fireworks.
Read Full Review >Premiere Malina Saval
If you're looking for memorable dialogue and gripping drama, then you better get in line for another flick. But if it's spellbinding special effects and high-wire acts you crave, Wanted should be at the top of your list for big budget thrill rides.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker
Jolie steals the film from nominal star McAvoy in the wild gunfight and dynamically absurd chase that kick Wanted into high gear. Her wicked moves and seductive smirk brand her immediately as a true believer who really, really loves her work.
Read Full Review >Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
His movies are thrilling and ridiculous in equal measure, and I often laughed with incredulous approval as he wreaked havoc.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Best of all, there's a lot of Jolie, barrels blazing. The star's fearlessly sexy hauteur is unique in the biz today. And when she works it in Wanted, she kills, bullets optional.
Read Full Review >ReelViews James Berardinelli
There are times when the film is flat-out silly (such as the spinning car assassination), but that's part of the movie's charm. At its worst, Wanted is never boring. At its best, it can be damn close to intoxicating. One word, written without apology, describes it best: fun.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen
This is a blockbuster busting out of the block; this is a Hollywood staple served up on a European platter; this is summertime fare with a wintry verve.
Read Full Review >New York Post Kyle Smith
Wanted is like a 12-armed heavy-metal drummer after a case of Red Bull, flailing and thundering through two hours of impossible action.
Read Full Review >Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
Before Wanted reaches the end of its wild course, the violence that's been nothing but oppressive becomes genuinely if perversely impressive; the ritual carnage becomes balletic carnage (railroad cars included); the Walter Mitty-esque hero, Wesley, played by James McAvoy becomes a formidable enforcer of summary justice, and Mr. McAvoy, most memorably the young doctor in "The Last King of Scotland," becomes a certified star.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Sam Adams
Wanted's hyperkinetic antics are sometimes weighed down by a surfeit of adolescent misanthropy. But the adrenaline-overdose strategy works for viewers as well as hit men. As long as Bekmambetov keeps the pedal to the metal, you don't notice the rotten scenery outside.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek
Fast-moving and bloody, enjoyable even within its unapologetically generic limits. But McAvoy is its real secret weapon: With his X-ray blue eyes and lips that look bitten with anxiety, he has the miraculous ability to fool us into thinking there's really something at stake here.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Jim Ridley
In the end, Wanted may be most notable for cementing the connection between superhero movies and the cinematic craze they have temporarily supplanted, torture porn--both genres that, like "Fight Club," address our ambiguous fascination with being powerless and invulnerable at the same time.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Ann Hornaday
With its pounding, bloody violence, foul-mouthed language and putrid worldview, Wanted isn't comic book-y on a par with "Iron Man" or "The Incredible Hulk." Rather it's an example of revenge of the nerds at its nastiest and most vulgar.
Read Full Review >Slate Dana Stevens
A compendium of bedside erotica. I don't know when I've seen a mainstream movie that so explicitly caters to the S&M niche. And the chemistry of the central couple, which seemed destined to bring the movie down, is instead the hottest thing in this effects-laden but ultimately empty film.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps
Wanted is a queasily unapologetic power fantasy about becoming a better person through violence.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
Slick, stylish and super-violent, but also oddly dull.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
Wanted is head-spinning stuff, and it's easy to get caught up in its masterfully manipulated mayhem. Visually, and viscerally, it's pretty awesome.
Read Full Review >USA Today Claudia Puig
The thrilling stunts and hyperkinetic action scenes are the undisputed stars of this surprisingly entertaining film.
Read Full Review >The New Yorker Anthony Lane
As nonsense goes, this has a certain gusto and glee, and what dismayed me was that Bekmambetov felt the need to spice it with the addition of coarsely chopped violence.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman
There's barely a frame that doesn't look stretched, smashed or otherwise harassed. Imagine "The Matrix" on speed, and you're halfway there.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Manohla Dargis
Things happen in Wanted, but no one cares. You could call that nihilism, but even nihilism requires commitment of a kind and this, by contrast, is a movie built on indifference.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
Either a go-for-broke action movie or a sick, sick movie for a sick, sick public.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Connie Ogle
The film hardly aims to be serious entertainment, and, to its credit, it's never uninteresting visually.
Read Full Review >Newsweek David Ansen
Wanted has one good plot twist in store (though it makes little sense), and its sense of humor about its own silliness keeps the fantasy afloat for a while. But as the body count rises, so does the portentous tone, and the relentlessness of Bekmambetov's overamped style becomes oppressive.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
What are Jolie and Freeman and McAvoy doing here, besides acting cooler than Clive Owen in "Shoot ’Em Up"? Cashing a check, that's what. Bekmametov may have talent, but the arrested-adolescent "escapism" of this picture emits a pretty bad odor.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer
Violence in the movies, no matter how many CGI effects are utilized, can't help but be far more luridly realistic. And, in the case of Wanted, to what end?
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt
With every bit of sliced flesh and every punctured skull I found myself wondering who exactly this movie is for. Its unflinching violence has earned it an R rating, meaning its desired demographic – teenage boys – is out of contention. That raises the question: Are there really adults who want to sit through this kind of mindless, bullying mayhem?
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.4 (out of 10) based on 256 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a9:
Jag, it's a freaking movie. Don't take it seriously. Anyways, what were you expecting? Schindler's List? This is a fun movie that I definitely recommend.
Tim H gave it a4:
At least this movie made me laugh a few times, lending it a leg up on titles like Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet which are comparably ridiculous. But it was about halfway through that my giggles gave way to facepalms, proving definitively that bullet time is no substitute for actual content.
alex r gave it a5:
Fun whilst McAvoy is still in training, but when he becomes a full member of the 'team' and can use all his powers, the film nosedives into tedium. Not terrible, but I can't recommend it.
R Noble gave it a10:
I have to admit this is probably going to end up being one of my all time favorite movies. It has everything a guy could ask for in a movie: nonstop action, blood, sex, violence, good dialogue, good music, good actors, Angelina Jolie's butt. The editing of this movie is so perfectly done as well as all of the effects, its all just genius. The squeaking of the mouse just before exploding is my favorite part of this movie. As far as action movies go I would have to say that this is epic.
Joe S gave it a2:
A dumb violent action movie dressed up as a pseudo intelligent thriller. There's way too much packed into way too short a movie. The characters are never very likable, and overall you're left just wanting something with filling. Skip.
Bob Disenfranchised gave it an8:
I'm a huge film buff. I prefer foriegn films and the Art House cinema. Once in a while I want a stupid action movie that entertains. I watched Wanted expecting the complexity of a comic book and the violence of a video game. I enjoyed the hell out of it. Nihilistic nerd porn, but entertaining. Shut your brain off and watch the spectacle as a comic book. Surprisingly, I became more interested in the plot than in such drivel as Atonement or Benjamin...this shocked me. Entertaining, different, stupid ye fun. Rent it.
Jag gave it a2:
Overrated. The action was over the top but it was also way to showy at the same time. It is also way to unreallistic. BULLETS DON"T CURVE 3 FEET WHEN YOU SWING THE GUN. The movie was more look than it was entertaining. And on top of that the look isn't really that good. I got nothing out of this movie. So overall this movie isn't one that you should waest mony on.
