Movies

I Watched Wanted For The First Time On Netflix, And I Can’t Believe How Much It Has In Common With My Favorite Action Franchise

BBG News

Although Netflix and other streaming platforms primarily concentrate on creating fresh original content, what I enjoy most about them is their role as repositories for classic films. This gives me an opportunity to rewatch my all-time favorite movies endlessly or discover films I missed during their initial release.

This week, I found out that “Wanted,” a 2008 action movie starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie, has become accessible through my Netflix subscription. I had always wanted to watch this film when it first premiered, but for some reason, I never managed to do so. Since I just recently watched “Jaws” for the first time, I decided to finally give “Wanted” a try and found it to be an enjoyable action movie with quite an impressive cast. It’s possible that my enjoyment of the film was influenced by its similarities to my favorite contemporary action series.

Wanted Gave Me Serious John Wick Vibes

One worry I had before watching Wanted, given it was released over a decade ago, is that its action, which may have been groundbreaking then, might appear outdated now. Nowadays, I find myself judging almost any action sequence in films against the exceptional standard set by the John Wick series, and most movies fail to meet that bar.

In a slightly different phrasing: The actions in “Wanted” don’t quite match up to those in the best of “John Wick”, falling short even compared to the average performance in the series. Yet, I was taken aback by how similar “Wanted” seemed to an early version of “John Wick”. Many elements from the original film appeared later in my favorite franchise, although these similarities are likely unintentional since neither Chad Stahelski nor David Leitch were involved in “Wanted” as stunt performers. This shared ground makes the films all the more fascinating.

It Has A Secret Society Of Assassins

A striking similarity between these two stories lies in their focus on clandestine organizations of skilled killers. “Wanted” features The Fraternity, an organization with a known history stretching back 1,000 years, while the assassins’ guild in “John Wick” is called the High Table, hinted at being older than The Fraternity.

One of my favorite aspects of the entire John Wick series is undeniably the High Table. What I admire most about these movies is how they’ve gradually developed this unique world, complete with its exclusive currency and hotels. The world-building in Wanted, in comparison, falls short significantly. This disparity might be because the original comic book source material portrays the group as true supervillains, which explains why the assassin aspect is added. If Wanted had actually seen its proposed sequels, it could have potentially fleshed out The Fraternity to a level that matches the intrigue of the High Table.

Wanted Has Its Version Of The Bowery King

In the John Wick series, no character is quite as entertaining as The Bowery King. Lawrence Fishburne’s persona serves as the head of a secretive group beneath the High Table. They frequently disguise themselves as homeless individuals in their territory, which makes them appear less polished compared to characters like John Wick. A unique aspect of The Bowery King is his use of pigeons to communicate and collect information with his network.

In the world of John Wick, if the Bowery King’s messengers are likened to “flying rodents,” it’s not too far-fetched to consider The Exterminator, a rat enthusiast from the Fraternity, as one of the Bowery King’s followers. However, unlike how Wanted deals with rats, I doubt the Bowery King would treat his pigeons in such a brutal manner.

It’s Even Got Common

One of the strong points of the movie “Wanted” lies in its stellar ensemble cast. It features James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie, with Morgan Freeman playing significant roles. Terrance Stamp is also present in a notable supporting part, while Chris Pratt makes an early appearance before his days on “Parks & Recreation.” Interestingly, there’s also an actor who later became well-known for his role in “John Wick: Chapter 2.”

As a cinephile looking back, before Common graced the screens as Cassian in the sequel to John Wick, he was already The Gunsmith in Wanted. Though his role in Wanted might seem minor, it’s not difficult to spot some striking similarities between Cassian and The Gunsmith – they share quite a few traits, if you will.

The Final Action Sequence Is Very John Wick

By the close of the day, both “John Wick” and “Wanted” share a common theme: they’re movies that excel in creating thrilling action scenes. However, they approach this differently. “John Wick” emphasizes intricate real-life stunt coordination, while “Wanted” balances this with captivating computer-generated imagery (CGI) when it comes to its eye-catching bullet firing scenes, which undeniably retain an impressive level of coolness.

In the film “Wanted“, the action sequences may not surpass those in “John Wick“, but the climactic scene where James McAvoy’s character leaps through a window and indiscriminately shoots down everyone he encounters, comes very close. Although the filming style differs from typical John Wick fight scenes, the idea – featuring the hero gunning down numerous adversaries, grabbing new weapons as he goes, and shooting through the skull of a fallen foe – is certainly something that could be incorporated into future “John Wick” movies.

To be completely open, I truly wish I’d watched “Wanted” in 2008 because I believe I would have found it more entertaining at that time. Over the years, the standard for action movies has significantly improved, which makes the film seem like a relic of its era. Nevertheless, “Wanted” played a crucial role in paving the way for the John Wick series and, albeit unintentionally, influenced what is now considered the best action movie franchise ever.

Back in the year 2020, I, a movie enthusiast, found myself intrigued by the words of Wanted‘s director, Timur Bekmambetov, as he hinted at his continued desire to bring the sequel to life. If this project ever comes to fruition, I can’t help but hope it draws some inspiration from the captivating world and style of John Wick.

Read More

2025-07-20 09:09

Previous post Andor Just Confirmed Its Key ‘Man of Steel’ Influence
Next post Dark Divinity RPG: Dark Rising Beginners Guide and Tips