Wanted

[the_ultimate_evil]

ok i will admit i picked up the book due to seeing the buzz around the film, and now i finished the book all i can ask is, what the hell happened where are half the characters whats this crap about him being a good guy

seriously this story could have been fantastic

anyone else looking forward or not to this film

[Mr. Hamrick]

the mere fact that Angelina Jolie is involved threw up a red flag for me.

[GogglesPizanno]

I haven't read the graphic novel but I had heard back when it was announced that the movie was gonna be similar to the book in pretty much name only...

From that standpoint it looks like an incredibly dumb action movie with the possibility of being stupidly entertaining...
It's something Im not really looking forward to, but when it opens and I can catch a matinee after work, I'll go see it.

[MJB]

My experience. The "Wanted" series was great. It was a fun romp through an "adult" comic universe.

Since reading the series I have watched the new Wanted trailer.

5% of the total trailer reminded me of the comic series. Apparently Mark Millar was aware of this and he's OK with it. Then again he's set to make booku bux.

-MJB

[Jakew]

If I remember, the majority of the characters intentionally resemble the villains they parody, like Rictus/Red Skull, F-wit/Bizarro, Doll-Master/Toyman, Johnny Two-Diks/Two-Face, etc. Getting them all into a movie would be a legal nightmare, unlease they invented a totally new cast.

But I do agree that the superhero/villain angle is a lot more interesting (to me) than the sci-fi secret society stuff that's going to be in the film. Wesley Gibson follows the death orders issued by the Fates, weavers who read individuals' destinies in fabrics produced by mystical looms = lame.

Millar: "I'd have liked [the filmmakers] to keep the supervillain mythos. That's one thing I'm kind of sad they didn't keep, 'cause I really liked that, the idea that supervillains and heroes did exist at one point and they're all gone now."

[zuludelta]

If I remember, the majority of the characters intentionally resemble the villains they parody, like Rictus/Red Skull, F-wit/Bizarro, Doll-Master/Toyman, Johnny Two-Diks/Two-Face, etc. Getting them all into a movie would be a legal nightmare, unlease they invented a totally new cast.

Always thought Rictus was supposed to be a parody of the Joker, since it's apparent the rest of the villains are riffing on DC baddies... who were the others again? Professor = Lex Luthor, Imp = Mr. Mxyzptlk, S**thead = Clayface, Adam-One = Vandal Savage (also, a precedent of Adam-One called Adam X, IIRC, appeared in one of Millar's The Authority late 1990s stories), The Emperor = R'as Al Ghul, Brain Box = Brainiac, Sucker = Parasite, Deadly Nightshade = Poison Ivy, Frightener = Scarecrow, Avian = Penguin, Puzzler = Riddler, March Hare = Mad Hatter.

I don't think legal problems would have been a real problem... there are laws that protect artists' rights to do satire and parody. I think the changes had more to do with the director/producers thinking that the original story would be of niche interest at best (which I doubt, since Wanted had a great story, regardless of whether one was familiar with the comics history it was making a postmodern comment on or not).

But I do agree that the superhero/villain angle is a lot more interesting (to me) than the sci-fi secret society stuff that's going to be in the film. Wesley Gibson follows the death orders issued by the Fates, weavers who read individuals' destinies in fabrics produced by mystical looms = lame.

The only reason this might be worth seeing in theaters is to see Angelina Jolie as a Catwoman analogue, but if we're getting the recently underfed giant-head-on-a-lollipop-stick version of Jolie, it loses any sort of appeal for me.

[Midnight]

Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

This film is the dustjacket description of Wanted, without the superheroes. UnWanted if you will.

[zuludelta]

Just saw the trailer (can't believe I'd been oblivious to it for so long). They've turned a postmodern satire commenting on the creative state of the 1980s superhero comic book industry and turned it into The Matrix-meets-Fight-Club-meets-crap-generic-action-movie. I really really hope Mark Millar and JG Jones were adequately compensated by the producers for turning their best recent work into what looks from here to be a steaming pile of celluloid dung.

[Figure Fan]

Just saw the trailer (can't believe I'd been oblivious to it for so long). They've turned a postmodern satire commenting on the creative state of the 1980s superhero comic book industry and turned it into The Matrix-meets-Fight-Club-meets-crap-generic-action-movie. I really really hope Mark Millar and JG Jones were adequately compensated by the producers for turning their best recent work into what looks from here to be a steaming pile of celluloid dung.

My opinion in a nutshell.

[thanoson]

Hmm... I just watched the trailer myself. I saw nothing in it that resembled supervillains in it at all. Still, looked ok as I've never read the series or know anything about it. However, I can see why you guys are upset.

[zuludelta]

Hmm... I just watched the trailer myself. I saw nothing in it that resembled supervillains in it at all. Still, looked ok as I've never read the series or know anything about it. However, I can see why you guys are upset.

Actually, you've got a point there... if I try to block out all memory of the Wanted comic book and just look at the trailer on its own merits, it looks like a decent, if all too generic, action popcorn flick... had I not read the original story, I would probably be at least curious about the film. It's just really disappointing when you think of the source material.

[vortex]

Hmmmm.....I've never heard of this comic, but am now intrigued!  I'm familiar with Millar's work in the Ultimate universe and Authority, but could somebody please give me a comparison ala "If you liked <blank>, then you'll probably like 'Wanted'?  I'm always looking for new reading material.  Thanks!

[zuludelta]

Hmmmm.....I've never heard of this comic, but am now intrigued!  I'm familiar with Millar's work in the Ultimate universe and Authority, but could somebody please give me a comparison ala "If you liked <blank>, then you'll probably like 'Wanted'?  I'm always looking for new reading material.  Thanks!

Story-wise It's sort of like Kingdom Come meets The Matrix meets a John Woo movie. I bring up the Kingdom Come comparison because it's a meta-textual commentary on the comic book industry and the trends people started following in the 1980s and 1990s (the whole grim and gritty thing). The good thing about it is, like Kingdom Come, even if you're unaware of any of the larger creative issues the story tackles, it's still a fun superhero (or in this case, supervillain) story... although you'll definitely get more from the story if you know why Millar chose 1986 as such a pivotal year in Wanted's world history, or why the ending  :spoiler: [spoiler]where the protagonist suddenly breaks the fourth wall and starts talking directly to the reader instead of merely serving as a narrator[/spoiler]  :spoiler: was so.

The Matrix comparison comes from the whole "the world isn't what you think it is" angle (which is probably the only thing they kept in the movie in terms of plot) and the action sequences are masterfully drawn by JG Jones. Way better than the second-half of Ultimates, if you ask me.

[steamteck]

 I dunno I dislike so many of the points mentioned about the original and was one of the two people in the universe that just saw "kingdom Come" as early iron age stuff that just doesn't get it. ( dammit, he forgot the Super not the man and that was his problem not the other way around) That the movie seems much interesting than the original to me.