"Wanted" -- James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman

My friend coined a term recently that applies pretty well to Wanted. NPR -- No Plot Required. Wanted had hot bodies, pretty guns, and fast cars, and I didn't expect or need any more from it, but I was definitely surprised. For a movie that looked the plotless, awesome fun, the plot was actually a little thicker than most movies of its like. It took a little while to get going, but once the film picked up it didn't drag or slow down again.

The action is brilliantly shot, as good as or better than many recent action films. The plot chokes itself a little in places, but you'll walk out of the theater going "OH! And then...and the...I GET IT!" This is one film where spoilers actually do spoil the ending, so I won't talk too in-depth about the plot, but it's got enough twists and turns to keep you occupied and on your toes, without ever being asinine. This would have been very, very easy to do wrong, but it all pulls together into a cohesive whole by the end of the film.

James McAvoy pretty much blew everyone else out of the water. Angelina Jolie is great, as always, along with Morgan Freeman, Common, and Marc Warren, but we've seen these other actors play these characters before. This is a new turn for McAvoy and he brings it off beautifully. He becomes the character completely in a role that probably wouldn't have worked with anything less. Also, I don't know how much physical training he went through for the role, but however much it was it definitely shows. He goes believably from pasty and skinny but fit to still creamy but built and strong. He fits the definition of a superhero, but it's still very easy to relate to him as a human.

The gore and action are fairly standard for an R-rated film in terms of quantity, but there are a few sequences pretty dizzyingly shot, definitely not for the weak of stomach or faint of heart. If you like hardcore action that makes you feel like you're really in it, however, this is definitely the film for you. See it in the theater at least once, and try to buy the DVD when it comes out.

Best Line: "They're all killers and they're very good at it so why don't you keep that gun pointed at me? There, that's better."
Best Performance: James McAvoy
Best Moment: When Fox steps aside to let Wesley past, giving him the best innocent-little-girl eyes I've seen in awhile. Alternately, it may be when Wesley slams a keyboard into his best friend's face.