WANTED by Millar & Bekmabetov

[crippled_avenger]

MOSKVA – ITAR-TASS – Delegacija Vlade Srbije i Akademije nauka i umetnosti danas je imala slobodan dan tokom bilateralne posete Ruskoj Federaciji. Članovi delegacije Akademije nauka i umetnosti su slobodan dan takođe proveli radno. Najzanimljivije susrete imali su Matija Bećković i Momo Kapor koji su bili u poseti poznatom ruskom reditelju Timuru Bekmambetovu u njegovoj dači u blizini Moskve, u elitnom naselju Peredelkino, gde su bile dače takvih velikana kao što su Pasternak ili Tarkovski.

Bekmambetov je izričito želeo da upozna Matiju Bećkovića i Momu Kapora pošto je čuo da su oni gurui Emira Kusturice, najvećeg reditelja na slovenskim prostorima. ,,Ja se osećam pripadnikom iste mističke linije panslovenskog filma kao Kusturica", izjavio je Bekmambetov.

Tokom posete, Bekmambetov je svojim uvaženim srpskim gostima pokazao i neke sekvence iz svog novog filma ,,Wanted" koji će biti njegov holivudski debi. ,,Ovo sigurno neće biti Timurov ,,Arizona Drim"", kaže nam Momo Kapor. ,,Ja sam bio skeptičan kada je uzeo Milara da radi i mislio sam da je to nešto u šta ne treba da se dira", naglasio je Bećković, ,,ali ove sekvence koje sam video su me razuverile. Štaviše, možda bih mu dao da radi i nešto po Grantu Morisonu. Možda." Ovu konstataciju, svi su propratili smehom. ,,Volim olovku Džej Dži Džounsa", naglašava Momo Kapor, stari vizelac, ,,mislim da je Timur odlično interpretirao taj Džounsov izgled koji je bio karakteristika Milarovog stripa."

Ne samo da su uživali u filmu ,,Wanted" već su se potom načele i poslovne teme. Timur Bekmambetov bi posle ,,Wanteda" želeo da radi i ekranizaciju Bećkovićeve poeme ,,Reče mi jedan čoek" i to u žanru trilera. ,,Rekao je da će scenario za holivudsku adaptaciju raditi Endrju Kevin Voker koji je pisao film ,,Sedam" i ja sam time zadovoljan." Kapor je u šali dodao, ,,Meni neće da ekranizuje roman ali možda hoće neku sliku."

,,Kusturicu smo pretvorili iz Bošnjaka u Srbina, bogami ćemo i Timura pretvoriti iz Kazaha u Rusa", u šali je prokomentarisao Momo Kapor, ovaj veseli dan u dači Timura Bekmambetova. Sutra naša delegacija nastavlja pregovore o bilateralnim i kulturnim odnosima Srbije i Ruske Federacije.

[Meho Krljic]

     

Inače, Wanted je meni jedan od slabijih Millarovih stripova. Kuda baš to da dobije ekranizaciju...

[crippled_avenger]

"Od detinjstva trujem unuke Enisovim "Egzekutorom" i Morisonovim X-Ljudima", ne želim da ih uhvate mejnstrim serijali koji se retkonuju iz dana u dan.", kaže Matija Bećković u "Ilustrovanoj Politici".

[Meho Krljic]

   Enisov 'Egzekutor' je šta? Hitman? Panišer?

[crippled_avenger]

Panišer, jašta.

Matija ga voli zbog Rusa.

[Meho Krljic]

Haha, da, onaj deo sa Rusima je OPASAN. Ennis se i inače loži na Ruse na taj militaristički način. Ne sećam se da li sam ti narezao njegov strip 303, ali znam da sam ti ga pominjao. Tu se Ennis loži na Ruse i njihovu vojsku više nego Šešelj i Miki Vujović zajedno.

[crippled_avenger]

Nisi, a trebalo bi.

[Meho Krljic]

Ako mi kompjuter proradi sutra naveče, računaj da to dobijaš do kraja tjedna.

[Tex Murphy]

Jel' to Miles Millar?

[Meho Krljic]

Ne, Mark Millar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Millar

[crippled_avenger]

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809878244/video/477

[crippled_avenger]

Ruski trejler je triput bolji od americkog...

http://filmz.ru/pub/1/14256_1.htm

[crippled_avenger]

Exclusive Interview: Timur Bekmambetov for "Wanted"By Paul FischerWednesday, June 18th 2008 12:11am Russian director Timur Bekmambetov has made quite the impact in his native country with his box office hits Night Watch and its successful sequel, films that managed to cause quite a sensation in the US.

The director brings his own unique vision the studio blockbuster Wanted, which features crazy stunts, a naked Angelina Jolie and a sardonic view of contemporary humanity in this rather unique assassins' group that recruits a downtrodden accountant whose father was apparently murdered by a rogue member. Bekmambetov talked exclusively to Paul Fischer.

Question: What did the producers see in your work that made them want to go after you to direct this film?

Bekmambetov: I think because I kind of get to make human stories, dramatic stories, look like big action movies.

Question: Were you familiar with the comic books that this movie is based on?

Bekmambetov: No, no, no. I never read it. The first time I saw the comic book was a week, two weeks before I read the scripts. And I didn't find how to make this movie. And then I found the comic books, and it became clear.

Question: What was required to adapt the comic books into the screenplay? How much did they have to compress?

Bekmambetov: Compress? Oh, no. You have to add. Because comic books, the onus of the comic book is much more narrow. And to make a big summer blockbuster, you have to find - you have to make it more - how to say this? Broader.

Question: How many comic books were there to begin with?

Bekmambetov: No, no, it's just one graphic novel but there were several chapters. But for me, it was one book. I read it once, as one piece.

Question: So this was basically an adaptation of the first book.

Bekmambetov: Yes. Yeah.

Question: I'm wondering whether or not it was important when you were casting this to have a balance of movie stars and actors, as opposed to just being movie stars. Angelina Jolie is the big movie star in this movie.

Bekmambetov: I will tell you a secret. She's a great actress. She's very good - a very, very deep, talented, ancient Greek tragedy actress. And the movie star is her status. It's not who she is.

Question: But James McAvoy, who is also a great actor, seems to be perfectly cast as this kind of trodden down Everyman figure. Is that what your intention was, when you were trying to figure out what to do about casting Wesley?

Bekmambetov: Yeah. That's exactly right. It was very important to find two stars, like Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie. They represent the world of the legendary authority otherworld. Yeah? Like, the others. And then to find an actor like James McAvoy, who is a great actor, and has never been in these kinds of movies. Because then, for the audience, it will be unpredictable, and it will be easy to identify with him and to follow him. And unpredictable in the whole movie's journey and adventure. You don't know how it will end. It's the only way to create the arc of his character, for the audience.

Question: This is a movie that - if you take away all the action sequences, which we'll talk about in a moment - you referred to Angelina as having the qualities of a Greek tragic actress. Do you see this movie as being, in some ways as being a kind of a Greek tragedy?

Bekmambetov: It is. For me, it is. "Action movie," it's just runner. It's just a dress coat. It's just dress. It's an ancient tragedy, dressed as an action movie, because the core of the movie, it's a drama. It's really deep and interesting, and touchable story. Unusual for action movies.

Question: There's also a degree of sexiness about this movie that you don't find a lot in American films. Was it hard for you to persuade Angelina Jolie to do that - there's a nude scene in this film, which I wasn't expecting, either. Which I'm sure will please a lot of her fans.

Bekmambetov: Yeah. But it's very delicate, because when you have an atomic bomb in your hands, like Angelina Jolie, then you have to be very careful with that. You cannot show too much. Because - dangerous.

Question: And also, she's a very private person. I was wondering how she felt about doing those. How much discussion you had with her about how that was going to be done?

Bekmambetov: Well, she was very excited to do this. And it wasn't punishment for her. And she was good in it. So there was no dilemmas, and dramas around it, because it's part of her character, and it's part of the story. And she knows why, and what the purpose - why she did it, or what's the purpose. It's part of the story. It's not just a scene with a naked girl.

Question: Having said that the action sequences mask this very powerful story, the action sequences are truly extraordinary. You seem to want to go places where very few filmmakers within the action genre have gone before. Was that also your intention? To deliver action sequences that were basically very unique?

Bekmambetov: I just think if you do what you like, what you want, and how you can do things, it will be unique. I never had a problem, I never had a second of thinking how to make something unique. Just, the story that we had was unique, and the characters were unique. And the action scenes became, yes, unique, because it was just part of the story. As I know, if I'm trying to do something unique, then it will be like everybody. If you're doing something specific, like - what's the part of your story - then it will be unique.

Question: How much planning went into those sequences- for example, the major car chase sequence, which is stunning. How much planning went into all those major set pieces?

Bekmambetov: Well, a lot. We had three blocks. We shot it three times. We shot it the first time, we shot a second unit shooting in Chicago. Then we shot it with the first unit, with our actors, and then we shot another second unit piece. And there was one person who was very, very important for the process. His name is Nick Roger, the stunt coordinator and second unit director for this sequence. And he's a talent. He helped a lot to make this scene unique.

Question: Did you do a lot of storyboarding before you shot?

Bekmambetov: Not only the storyboarding. We made animatics. Everything was previewed before. There was animatics, there was animations with every trick.

Question: Was there a lot of stuff that you couldn't use because it just didn't work in the movie, and will end up on the DVD?

Bekmambetov: No. It's funny - it's a question of the freedom. Like, people are asking me, did you have a problem with the studio? Or, how many restrictions you had? And I feel - I didn't have any restrictions.

Question: I presume they told you at the beginning, it was always made clear that even though this is a summer blockbuster kind of movie, that you were only going to do it as an R-rated film, right?

Bekmambetov: Yeah. And - yes, of course. And do you know what's happened when - ten days ago, I don't remember how - two weeks ago, the DVD department of Universal asked me to give them deleted scenes for DVD. We didn't find any. There were no deleted scenes in the movie. It's--poor DVD department. They don't have any pieces to sell. And everything that we shot, all these brave and risky and very arty moments, they're in the movie. We did it.

Question: Timur, you grew up in the Soviet Union.

Bekmambetov: Yes.

Question: I'm just wondering, before Gorbachev, and before the final collapse of the Soviet Union, were you at all influenced by American movies? Or were you able to be influenced in any way by American popular culture?

Bekmambetov: Yes, of course. Of course, we had a chance to see some American movies. Not so many, unfortunately. I remember the movie called Mackenna's Gold.

Question: With Gregory Peck.

Bekmambetov: Yes! And Omar Sharif, I think.

Question: That's right. That's right, yes.

Bekmambetov: It was a good movie. Big. And from that time, I liked big American movies. I really liked big American movies. Movies of the big, huge empire.

Question: How realistic was it of you as a young man growing up in the Soviet Union, to become a filmmaker?

Bekmambetov: To be a filmmaker? I was an engineer. I studied as an engineer for two years, and then I saw one movie, and I decided that I didn't want to be an engineer any more. And this movie was an Italian movie called Dillinger is Dead. Marco Ferreri movie. All a movie about one person in one room for two hours. And it's very powerful. And I was in Italy, now, making press. And Italian journalists asked me the question. And then I remembered this movie. It was - it changed my life.

Question: I guess it was Night Watch that really established you. What was the journey like for you to make your first major feature film? I mean, Night Watch was 2004. It's not that long ago, really. So, what was the journey for you to get that movie made, and recognized?

Bekmambetov: Night Watch? It's just nothing unusual. It's an audience. I feel like the audience was waiting for that. And I had a lot of things to tell people. And I had a lot of ideas, and I made some commercials during the '90s, and I had a lot of ideas. Visual ideas, and some messages and characters, and everything. And this is inside. And it was ready to be transferred into the movie images.

Question: Did you expect those movies to be as big in America as they were in Russia?

Bekmambetov: I made a movie only for Russian people. For Soviet Union. For the people who live in the Soviet Union. Because there was very delicate and very specific cultural references in it. And I never think about, I never think, "It will be popular somewhere else." And I was surprised that people understood, and were entertained here, for example, in the United States. Because it's so different.

Question: What is the state of the Russian film industry? How tough is it to get films made over there?

Bekmambetov: Now?

Question: Yeah.

Bekmambetov: When we showed the first Night Watch, there was only 5 percent movies with Russian. Now it's 30 percent. It's happened during the four years, and it grows every year. I think in a few years it will be 50/50 with American movies.

Question: Will it be important for you to try to find a way to work equally in both Russia and America?

Bekmambetov: I think it's fun. But there's a huge India industry, and that will be interesting for me, too, to shoot Bollywood movie, for example. Why not?

Question: Are you contracted to do a sequel to Wanted? Do you think a sequel to Wanted is something that would interest you?

Bekmambetov: We had a lot of ideas we didn't realize. But I think the audience will decide. Not me, you, or something else. The audience will decide if we will do this or not.

Question: Would you like to do something small and intimate next?

Bekmambetov: Or different. I don't know, something really different.

Question: You're also a writer, obviously. I mean, are you writing any material?

Bekmambetov: Yeah. Yeah. I have a lot of parts in development here in Russia. I just want to hear the reaction of the audience, before I will move forward.

Question: What other kind of films do you have a burning desire to make?

Bekmambetov: You know what? Six months ago, I released in Russia, a Russian comedy. A romantic Christmas comedy.

Question: Really?

Bekmambetov: Yes. I assistant directed. It's a sequel of a famous Russian TV Christmas comedy. It was on TV for 30 years. And we made a sequel about children. And it had $55 million box office, in Russia.

[crippled_avenger]

Recently Reviewed
Wanted
By TODD MCCARTHYRead other reviews about this film

Powered By
James McAvoy goes from account manager to assassin in 'Wanted'
• 'Wanted' profile: Film review, video, photos, related articles and more.

A Universal release, presented with Spyglass Entertainment in association with Relativity Media, of a Marc Platt/Kickstart production, in association with Top Cow. Produced by Platt, Jim Lemley, Jason Netter, Iain Smith. Executive producers, Adam Siegel, Marc Silvestri, Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber. Co-producers, Mark Millar, J.G. Jones, Chris Carlisle, Sally French, Jared LeBoff. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov. Screenplay, Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, Chris Morgan; story, Brandt, Haas, based on the series of comicstrips by Mark Millar, J.G. Jones.

Wesley Gibson - James McAvoy
Sloan - Morgan Freeman
Fox - Angelina Jolie
Pekwarsky - Terence Stamp
Cross - Thomas Kretschmann
The Gunsmith - Common
Cathy - Kristen Hager
The Repairman - Marc Warren
Mr. X - David Patrick O'Hara
The Exterminator - Konstantin Khabensky
The Butcher - Dato Bakhtadze
Barry - Chris Pratt
Janice - Lorna Scott
 "Wanted" devilishly ups the ante to a new level in adapting violent graphic comics to the bigscreen. By confidently grafting nastily creative, high-tech new ways to kill people onto traditional dramatic themes involving professional assassins and family revenge, Kazakhstan-born Timur Bekmambetov assures himself the distinction of becoming the first modern director to emerge from Russia to carve a high profile in Hollywood. Relentless, in-your-face action and a classy cast led by a beefed-up James McAvoy and a heavily tatted Angelina Jolie combine to promise powerful B.O. prospects worldwide for Universal.
As the man responsible for the two highest-grossing films in Russian history, "Night Watch" and its sequel "Day Watch," Bekmambetov, a helmer with muscular visual skills akin to those of top commercials directors, was a good bet to supply the desired edge and a distinctive flavor to this type of genre fare. Often fruitfully and sometimes gratuitously, he gooses every shot with some extra jolt or manipulation, be it an abrupt change in camera speed, skip-framing, odd pulsation or just good, old-fashioned rack focus. He can even use the leading character's accelerated metabolism as a plausible excuse to create a visual correlative in the film's often breathless rhythms.

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.

Opening action sequence provides a pretty good indication of what's in store in this adaptation of the popular cult comics created by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones: After deftly avoiding assassination in his office in a Chicago skyscraper, the formidable-looking Mr. X (David Patrick O'Hara) leaps through glass and across the void to the roof of the building across the way, only to finally lose a gun battle fought with bullets that follow curved trajectories when fired by shooters who know what they're doing.

Next day, put-upon account manager Wesley Gibson (McAvoy) is abruptly informed by a mysterious woman (Jolie) standing in a supermarket line that his father, one of the all-time great assassins, died yesterday. Suddenly, this woman, whose name aptly happens to be Fox, is in a firefight with Cross (Thomas Kretschmann), the man who killed dear old dad -- a duel that continues in insanely speeding vehicles on the Chitown streets. That's two hyperventilated action sequences in the first 25 minutes.

Fox takes Wesley to the fortress-like headquarters of the Fraternity, where a nattily attired Morgan Freeman, as the org's boss, Sloan, explains how the 1,000-year-old institution takes it upon itself to eliminate people who are fated to die for reasons dictated by hidden patterns in textiles woven at the factory. Learning that this is as good a reason as any to bump off people he doesn't know, Wesley undergoes training -- repeatedly getting the living crap beaten out of him by menacing guys with names like the Repairman, the Butcher and the Exterminator -- in brutally sadistic interludes designed to make the wimpy loser tough enough to take on the rogue former Fraternity brother Cross.

Once he's graduated by perfecting the art of the bending bullet, Wesley achieves his rite of passage to ultimate manhood -- defined as being able to kill without hesitation or remorse. Wesley's transformation, from one-time pushover to indestructible powerhouse, is not unlike that of any number of Marvel heroes,although the context and implications here are much darker than in the worlds of Spider-Man and his brethren.

Desperate to go toe-to-toe with Cross, Wesley heads to Europe and the birthplace of the Fraternity, where, under duress, its monkish leader (Terence Stamp) arranges a rendezvous aboard a train. This spectacularly outlandish action sequence, which parallels multiple earlier scenes of Wesley and Fox training on top of Chicago's El, would seem designed to cap things off. But as concocted by scripters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (who collaborated on "3:10 to Yuma" and "2 Fast 2 Furious") and Chris Morgan ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift"), there are multiple betrayals, avenged misdeeds and literal mind-blowing still to come in a film that never lets up.

The diminutive McAvoy might have seemed an unexpected choice for this sort of kickass role, but the always inventive thesp proves he's got a bit of Russell Crowe in him as he brandishes an impressive amount of muscle, grit and anger. He may be one of those rare actors who can do just about anything. Fox is a perfect role for Jolie, a sort of fancified extension of her Mrs. Smith that allows her to be a tough babe and also gently send up the caricature. While intoning the dialogue with his usual elan, Freeman gets to be nastier than usual as the big boss in charge of all the secrets. Most of the supporting thesps register strongly on the basis of being memorable physical types.

Bekmambetov's Russian films showed he knows how to achieve the visceral effects he wants, and the vastly greater means at his disposal here provide him with the tools to supercharge his work; he will have his pick of projects now. He and his highly pro team of lenser Mitchell Amundsen, production designer John Myhre, editor David Brenner and myriad hands in the effects, makeup, stunt, location and other departments manage a consistent blend of live-action with computer effects, and Prague studio work with Chicago and New York street shooting. As if the picture needed it, Danny Elfman's score provides additional propulsion.

More than one option(Person) Chris Carlisle
(Person) Chris Carlisle
More than one option(Person) Marc Platt
Executive Producer, Producer, Special Thanks
(Person) Marc Platt
ActorMore than one option(Person) Adam Siegel
Executive Producer, Production Executive
(Person) Adam Siegel
Actor
(Person) Adam Siegel
SongMore than one option(Person) Iain Smith
Location Manager, Executive Producer, Producer
(Person) Iain Smith
ProductionMore than one option(Person) Gary Barber
Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer, Assistant
(Person) Gary Barber
More than one option(Person) Chris Morgan
Screenplay
(Person) Christopher R Morgan
(Person) Christopher Morgan
(Person) Chris Morgan
Location Manager
(Person) Chris Morgan
(Person) Chris Morgan
CameraMore than one option(Person) Morgan Freeman
Narrator, Director, Executive Producer
(Person) Morgan Freeman
ActorMore than one option(Person) Terence Stamp
(Person) Terry Stamp
More than one option(Co) Mr. X Inc.
Filmography, Year, Role
(Co) Mr. X Inc.
Filmography, Year, Role
(Person) Mr. X
More than one option(Person) Lorna Scott
Actor
(Person) Lorna Scott
Production AssistantMore than one option(Film) Onskas
(Film) Wanted
(Film) Dead Beat
(Film) Wanted
(Film) Crime Spree
(Tv) Wanted
More than one option(Film) Nightwatch
(Film) Night Watch
1973 - Elizabeth Taylor, Brian G Hutton
(Film) Night Watch
2006 - Konstantin Khabensky, Timur Bekmambetov
(Tv) Alistair MacLean's Night Watch
(Film) The Night Watchman
More than one option(Film) 3:10 to Yuma
1957 - Glenn Ford, Delmer Daves
(Film) 3:10 to Yuma
More than one option(Person) David Brenner
Associate Editor, Editing, Editor
(Person) David Brenner
Actor, Special Thanks
(Person) David Brenner
Construction Coordinator, Construction Foreman, Props
(Person) David Brenner
Camera (Deluxe color, Panavision widescreen), Mitchell Amundsen; editor, David Brenner; music, Danny Elfman; music supervisor, Kathy Nelson; production designer, John Myhre; supervising art director, Tomas Voth; art directors, Patrick Sullivan, David Baxa, Martin Vackar; set designers, Katerina Koutska, David Vondrasek, Frantisek Weber, Steven Saylor, Allan Fleischman; set decorator, Richard Roberts; costume designer, Varya Avdyushko; sound (DTS/SDDS/Dolby Digital), Petr Forejt; supervising sound editor, Wylie Stateman; re-recording mixers, Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montano; visual effects supervisors, Stefen Fangmeier, Jon Farhat; visual effects, Bazelevs, Framestore CFC, Hammerhead Prods.; special effects supervisor, Dominic Tuohy; stunt coordinators, Mic Rodgers, Nick Gillard, Martin Hub, Rick Lefevour; fight coordinator, C.C. Smiff; assistant director, Luc Etienne; second unit director, Dmitry Kiselev; second unit camera, Tim Wooster; New York unit camera, John Toll; casting, Mindy Marin. Reviewed at Mann Chinese 6, Los Angeles, June 18, 2008. (In Los Angeles Film Festival -- Galas, opener.) MPAA Rating: R. Running time 110 MIN.

[crippled_avenger]

Story  



Wanted
John Hazelton in Los Angeles
20 Jun 2008 09:00

 

Dir. Timur Bekmambetov. US. 2008. 110 mins. Maximum violence and minimum plot works well for Wanted, a flashy comic book adaptation that marks the US debut of Night Watch director Timur Bekmambetov and the transformation of British actor James McAvoy into something resembling a Hollywood action hero. The formula may please the core fanboy audience, and the presence (albeit in a limited role) of co-star Angelina Jolie should broaden the appeal enough to produce at least mid-level box office and good video returns. With its R-rating and nihilistic feel, this amped-up actioner is travelling more along the lines of Sin City or 300, though, as opposed to the summer's more mainstream comic book-based hits.



This Spyglass production goes wide in North America on June 27 through worldwide distributor Universal as counterprogramming to Disney/Pixar's animated Wall-E. Universal will need to work fast to exploit the release slot and establish it before launching the similarly-targeted Hellboy II two weeks later.

Several major international markets get the film on the same weekend as the US and other territories have launches set through July and August. The action emphasis could pay off particularly well internationally, and local interest in McAvoy and Bekmambetov should produce spikes in their home territories. Jolie's exposure at Cannes – and an imminent happy development in her private life - will provide an extra publicity boost.

The script by Chris Morgan (Cellular) and the team of Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (2 Fast 2 Furious) is based – apparently very loosely -- on a 2003-4 comic book series by Mark Millar and J G Jones.

McAvoy's Wesley is a downtrodden office worker who learns, after being kidnapped by Jolie's sultry Fox, that he was born to be part of the Fraternity, an ancient league of assassins who use their heightened skills – bullet-bending is a speciality – to carry out the orders of fate. "Kill without question to forge stability out of chaos," is the ethos.

After a prologue relying on heavy-handed humour, the film spends the best part of an hour on Wesley's brutal training under the supervision of Fox, Fraternity leader Sloan (Morgan Freeman in familiar eminence grise mode) and weapons expert The Gunsmith (rapper/actor Common, from American Gangster).

The plot only starts to unfold later, as Wesley encounters rogue Fraternity member Cross (German star Thomas Kretschmann, from Downfall) and the mysterious Pekwarsky (Terence Stamp) and learns about his real relationship with the organisation. The final scenes have the feel of a sequel set-up, though that may be optimistic thinking.

Russian-born Bekmambetov puts his stamp on the project from the get-go, mixing sardonic humour with frenetic, bloody action and Matrix-style effects, including an impressively-realised scene following a long-range assassin's bullet back from victim's head to gun.

Working with a budget many times bigger than those of his Russian horror hits Night Watch and Day Watch, Bekmambetov also stages action set-pieces including an effects-enhanced train wreck set in one of the film's eye-catching Eastern European locations.

McAvoy (brought to mainstream US notice by last year's Atonement and The Last King Of Scotland) always looks more like Wesley-the-office-drone than Wesley-the-super-killer, except for in the one shirtless scene that reveals his newly-buff torso. But he makes the character's transformation fairly believable and he adds a touch of humanity to the story.

Jolie dominates the film's marketing artwork but gets considerably less screen time than McAvoy. Her character is only incidentally involved in the plot and serves mostly as a cool foil for Wesley's initial bumbling.

[crippled_avenger]

Btw - fun story. The Weinsteins went to Moscow to negotiate for the release rights of NIGHT WATCH in the United States. The deal was going good - when all of a sudden Timur's cel phone rings. On the other end was a gentleman named PUTIN. Apparently the leader of Russia told Timur not to sell the film to the Weinsteins because they support the Democrats with Campaign donations and political work - and it was "better for Russia" that the Republicans be in power. Thus NIGHTWATCH got sold to FOX SEARCHLIGHT... a company controlled by noted conservative, Rupert Murdoch. Red States indeed. Isn't that an amazing story? Every word is true.

[Kler_Vojant]

Ovo poslednje, dve recenice predugo.

[anabel]

Jedva cekam film .... Dnevna i Nocna Straza mmmm kakvi filmovi...jos i sladjusni Mekavoj jedino Andja....al dobro ipak jedva cekam

[Kunac]

Arrowu je film baš legao:

http://www.joblo.com/arrow/reviews.php?id=1243

[crippled_avenger]

Iako se trduim da ne komentarišem Popboks kako Meho ne bi imao neprijatnosti, ovo ipak ne mogu a da ne ismejem...

Akcioni triler Wanted ruskog režisera Timura Bekmambetova (Noćna straža) za jedan dan prikazivanja u Rusiji zaradio je 84 miliona dolara.

Priča o pretvaranju "običnog ćoveka od crkve u heroja generacije pred kojim se nalaze iskušenja" u kojoj igraju Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie i James McAvoy je tako po zaradi pretekla holivudske blokbastere 300 i Bornov ultimatum, koji su držali novije rekorde gledanosti u Rusiji.

Film je potom samo u Moskvi za četiri dana prikazivanja inkasirao 10,8 miliona dolara.

Prema rečima Bekmambetova, uspeh filma je veoma značajan jer je na njemu radila ruska ekipa koja je snimala Noćnu stražu i Ironiju sudbine 2.

"Film podseća na moja ranija ostvarenja ali o ovakvom uspehu nismo ni sanjali. Verujem da će film biti odskočna daska za moje i filmove drugih ruskih režisera koji će pokazati da se ruski može govoriti širom sveta", rekao je Bekmambetov za RIA Novosti.

Budžet filma Wanted iznosio je 150 miliona dolara.

To je film sa rekordnim ulaganjem koji je realizovao ruski režiser s ruskom ekipom (grafika, kostimi, zvuk).

U filmu igraju i ruski glumci Konstantin Habenski i Dato Bahtadze.

[crippled_avenger]

Wanted shoots to top of international box office with $33m gross
Jeremy Kay in Los Angeles
30 Jun 2008 01:44

 

Angelina Jolie, a bulked up James McAvoy and one of the world's most dynamic action directors stole the show at the weekend as Universal/UPI's Wanted took charge of the international marketplace with a $33m estimated launch.

The graphic novel adaptation about an unassuming office worker who learns he descends from a long line of extraordinary assassins opened number one in most of its 22 territories and played in 1,922 venues.

Russian director Timur Bekmambetov is an established superstar in his home country and could hardly have asked for more on his English-language debut. Wanted opened in second place in North America on $51.1m and has already amassed $84.1m worldwide after its first weekend.

The highlight came somewhat predictably from Russia, where Bekmambetov's Night Watch franchise re-wrote the record books, as Wanted grossed $11m from 612 sites or Universal's biggest launch in the market and the industry's biggest 16-rated release.

Wanted took $8m from 415 in the UK for the third biggest 18-rated release behind Hannibal and Sweeney Todd. In South Korea $6.7m from 240 produced Universal's biggest launch and the biggest opening of an 18-rated Hollywood picture.

Elsewhere, Wanted grossed $1.1m from 45 in Thailand, $870,000 from 36 in Hong Kong, $870,000 from 29 in Singapore, $770,000 from 59 in Malaysia, $746,000 from 91 in the Philippines, $833,000 from 76 in the Ukraine, $508,000 from 118 in Turkey and $484.000 from 67 in Poland.

The picture will roll out across the rest of the world in the next three months, starting with Italy next weekend. Hollywood has traditionally steered clear of Italy during the summer months when the country retires en masse to the beach, however Warner Bros proved last July with Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix that there is such a thing as midsummer Mediterranean munificence.

[Boromir]

Gledao sam ga ovog vikenda. Sta da se kaze, od svih ovih dosadsasnjih "blockbustera" tipa Hulk, Iron Man, Indiana i sta ti ja znam, Wanted je iskreno najbolji - pravi "sleeper" hit ovog leta.

Kad kazem najbolji, pre svega, mislim naj-originalniji. Sve ostalo sto smo videli ove godine je vec prezvakano milion puta.

A i soundtrack je dobar..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRWsqZNJa_M

[crippled_avenger]

Sutra u pola devet je premijera u Domu sindikata. Red je da se skupimo u što većem broju!

[DušMan]

Ima i par bilborda po gradu.

[crippled_avenger]

После великог очекивања, погледао сам WANTED Tимура Бекмамбетова.

У Дому синдиката се окупила бројна екипа која је дошла да изреспектује Тимуров деби. Многи стари пајкићевци су измилели из својих скровишта не би ли видели има ли наде за православни уплив у холивудски филм, заборавивши да је Тимур Казах.

У сваком случају, што се Тимура тиче он је свој холивудски деби пребринуо и мислим да му се сада отварају прилике за јако озбиљне пројекте. WANTED је филм од 75 милиона долара који изгледа као да је од 150 милиона долара. Настајао је испод радара, а коначни производ је на нивоу филма о коме је стваран хајп.

У самом редитељском смислу, Бекмамбетов је искористио овај филм као свој нови деби. Дакле, у њему се потрудио да покаже шта све зна, а очигледно зна много тога. Уме да сними и пуцњаву и тучу, и смешно и напето, и са ефектима и без ефеката, и успорено и убрзано и шта год пожелиш Тимур уме да испоручи. Иако при почетку филма, делује да га Тимур превише гази, и да се напросто превише труди, ипак када прича заиста почне, све то постаје на неки начин функционално.

Наиме, код Тимура нема неосмишљене сцене, нема кадра у који није уложена максимална пажња. Све сцене су на нивоу монтаже максимално прецизне и ефикасне. Иако сцене обуке у којима се прате степени напредовања главног јунака могу сматрати спорним у контексту ритма филма, чак и оне су врло динамичне.

Иако није нарочит познавалац енглеског, Тимур је врло коректно провео глумце кроз целу причу. У споредним улогама су звезде попут Анђелине, Фримена, Комона и Кречмана које без проблема изводе ове обавезне фигуре, али у главној улози није акциони стар већ Џејмс Мекавој који је ту очигледно довден да представи Веслија као продубљен карактер и у томе и успева, што је велики Тимуров успех.

Критике су писале да WANTED личи на МАТРИКС и БОРИЛАЧКИ КЛУБ, и то је на неки начин тачно. Бекмамбетов апроприра конспиролошку атмосферу и техноманију МАТРИКСА са мачистичким спојем атрактивне режије и антиестаблишмент убеђења БОРИЛАЧКОГ КЛУБА. Ти утицаји су евидентни. Међутим, чини ми се да је налажење филмске корелације управо и био кључ кроз који је сам процес екранизације Миларовог стрипа тако добро профункционисао. Наиме, Бекмамбетов је очистио Миларов стрип од свих сувишних ствари и свео га на две кључне линије. Једна је схватање главног јунака да свет није онакав како га је схватао, да у себи има потенцијал да буде суперхерој и коначно да могућност да буде суперхерој омогућује да покаже средњи прст естаблишменту који га мучи и да реши своје породичне фрустрације. осталих деоница Миларовог стрипа, прича о паралелним димензијама и сл. нема, што је добро. Чини ми се да би Милар из овог раздвајања важног од неважног имао пуно тога да научи. Претворивши стрип митологију у аутентичну и јасно дефинисану драму, Бекмамбетов је решио основну сценаристичку препреку ове екранизације.

Концепције из МАТРИКСА и БОРИЛАЧКОГ КЛУБА, колико год биле артифицијелне и у изворном облику, па коначно и у Тимурово апропријацији, овом филму ипак дају јасан став и неку врсту идеолошког концепта што је посебан квалитет. Наиме, већина редитеља пропусти да филм обогати ставом, па макар он био и артифицијелан. Овај филм има став. Не може се рећи да има емоцију, као рецимо ХЕНКОК, али став, иако артифицијелан, ипак има.

У смислу продукционог дизајна, Бекмамбетов је третирао филм прилично реалистички, колико су рецимо филмови о Борну реалистични, с тим што је имао кудикамо лакши посао од Летеријеа јер нема човека који израсте у зеленог џина.

Џејмс Мекавој и Анђелина Џоли су одлични у главним улогама. Иако њихови ликови заправо имају врло дистанциран однос збуњеног ученика и супериорног учитеља, између њих постоји хемија и Мекавој, иако се то од њега није очекивало успева да прилично добро покаже како шоња може да се претвори у суперхероја.

Ако је од глумаца ико вишак, то је Тимуров саиграч из НОЋНЕ СТРАЖЕ, Константин Кабенски који игра прилично клишетизирану улогу руског јунака који служи као комично одмориште и морам признати делује прилично ауторасистички, иако његова судбина касније носи солидну емотивну тежину и значајна је за расплет филма. Порпуно је у реду што кабенски глуми али мислим да није треба да овако буде конципиран његов лик.

С друге стране, како да ти не заигра срце када Анђелина Џоли у најбољој акционој сцени филма јури воз у половној "лади" и када исти тај ауто потом заигра као важан сегмент једне спектакуларне секвенце.

Оно што је мене у овом филму испунило посебно перверзном емоцијом јесте утисак како се ради о незваничном римејку БАЛКАНСКИХ ПРАВИЛА. Не само да је заплет порпуно идентичан, фатална жена уводи јунака у свет тајних друштава у коме треба да наследи свог покојног оца, него рекло би се да постоје и неки важни детаљи у заплету који стоје као паралела између ова два флма. Рецимо, човек који објасни све у ПРАВИЛИМА је сајџја, а овде се бави ткањем. Наравно, сасвим је вероватно да ни Милар ни Бекмамбетов нису гледали бајићев рфилм али сличност остаје, у најмању руку као назнака на ком трагу су правила могла бити добар филм.

У сваком случају, Бекмамбетов је испоручио један од есенцијалних блокбастера сезоне и заслужио пажњу хголивудских продуцената. Надам се да ће је мудро искористити.

* * * / * * * *

[Ghoul]

Овај филм има став. Не може се рећи да има емоцију, као рецимо ХЕНКОК, али став, иако артифицијелан, ипак има.

"став, иако артифицијелан, ипак има"
= taj артифицијелан став se srpski ipak zove POZA.
zato me ne čudi što su pajkićevci nagrnuli.

[Meho Krljic]

Sad si me prilično napal'jo. Ali, da li te dobro razumem da je Milarov predložak iščitan više u anti-establišment ključu (da iskoristim tu frazu), a manje u 'mafija runs the world' ključu? U stripu je, čini mi se, osnovni motiv bilo izrastanje geeka koga su svi unaokolo ćuškali u criminal masterminda pravom nasleđa, dok je njegovo simboličko (i bukvalno) raskidanje sa 'starom', očevom strukturom u drugoj polovini priče bilo manje uverljivo.

[crippled_avenger]

Pa da, dakle ovde nema celog plota o mafiji koja kontroliše čovečanstvo, brejnvošuje narod da zaboravi heroje i sl.

Bratstvo je prikazano kao prilično low-key organizacija koja naprosto ubija ljude iz određenog mističnog razloga i više liči na neku reinterpretaciju mitova o masoneriji nego na savez negativaca koji kontrolišu čovečanstvo. Oni rade po odeđenom kodeksu, ali onda je u međuvremeno neko počeo da ga zloupotrebljava, dakle potpuno poigravanje sa mitovima o masoneriji. Umesto zidara oni su tkači.

Jedina svemoć Bratstva se ogleda u tome što ih ni za šta ne juri policija i mogu das manipulišu bankovnim računima nekontrolisano, ali to je to. Nema neke epske zavere iza svega.

Anti-establišment stav je više izražen kroz junakov teskoban odnos sa "real worldom", šefovima, devojkom, prijateljima i loše snalaženje unutar tih svakodnevnih mikropolitika kojima je ucenjen.

Što se stava tiče, da, moglo bi se reći da je poza. Ali to je okej. Mislim, ovo je letnji akcioni film, tako da je kako rekoh lepo što je neko mislio da treba da ima neki attitude. Nije ga niko pravio da ukazuje na društvene kontradikcije nego da se narod zabavlja. Ali, eto kao bonus feature ima i pozu. To je meni super.

[Meho Krljic]

Hmmm, moram da priznam da mi ovo zvuči kao zapravo ispravno osmišljeno trimovanje down Millarove premise. Mislim, ne kažem da on nije imao dobru ideju u tom svom 'mafia runs the world' ali to je plot point koji bi mogao dobro da prođe u stripu sa manje realističkom premisom, ili u stripu napisanom pre pedesetak godina. Drago mi je ako je u filmu ovo svedeno na neizgovoreno i neobjašnjeno prisustvo tajnih gospodara sveta. Pogledaću!!

[crippled_avenger]

Inače, ima još jedan dosta negativan primer verovatno Timurovog odrastanja u SFRJ. U filmu na više mesta umesto skora idu neke prilično datirane rok pesme. Kapiram da je Timur ostao željan rokenrol u mladosti i nije razvio naročito istančan ukus.

[Milosh]

Pogledao sam Wanted i detaljnije ću u kritici za YC, a ovde samo da pomenem da premda stvarno ništa nisam očekivao još sam se i umereno prijatno iznenadio, ali daleko od toga da je film ostavio ne znam kakav utisak (zapravo, sve više i više bledi...). Sve vreme mi se činilo kako bi ovo nešto bolje funkcionisalo razvučeno na jednu punu sezonu serije (pristojno budžetirane), bar na nivou likova... U svetlu nekih poređenja koja se najviše mogu čuti recimo da Timur ima još da uči da dosegne Finchera, ali zato može da prođe kao naslednik sad već posrnule Braće... Solidna bioskopska zabava koja baš i ne priziva ponovna gledanja. 3 tj. 3+ plafon

[Tex Murphy]

Braće as in Brata i Sestre?

[Ghoul]

znate šta: pokušao sam!
istrpeo sam 40 minuta ovog tumora, i onda shvatih da imam pametnije načine za gubljenje svog vremena: apsolutno me ni za šta u ovom 'filmu' nije briga – ni za tog lika, ni za to što mu se dešava, ni za eventualne 'podtexte' ako ih zaplet ima, ni za teme ni za ideje ni za svu tu stripovsku (u najpogrdnijem smislu reči) travestiju i šuplju karikaturu – ama, prosto, zabole me za bilo šta u ovome, i'm outta here!
znači, tumor bebetkov me je izgubio vo vjeki vjekov amin! smorio me noćnom stražom, smorio me američkim neželjenim, i aj zdravo tumore!

[Alex]

Posle gledanja WANTEDa, čovek poželi da povikne - "Kusto, sahrani i ovog!"

Bez sumnje, film ima štofa za laku letnju zabavu! Na zanatskom nivou režija je prilično dobra, daleko bolja nego u Quantum of Solace, gde se zbog haotično poređanih a prekratkih kadrova, jednostavno, ništa ne vidi. U Wanted sve jeste jako brzo, ali čitljivo i vizuelno pismeno. Ipak, autorski stav i bitna rediteljska imena, u kontekstu ovog filma, ne treba ni pominjati. Dakle, uz par zabavnih akcionih scena, koje su zasluga Bekmambetova, dodatni (i skoro poslednji) kvalitet filma je James McAvoy. Ovaj tip, prosečne pojave, očigledno je tako dobar glumac da i nikako napisane karaktere može da učini životnim. Zaista poslednji dobri elementi filma odnose se na scenarističke detalje iz privatnog života glavnog lika (posao, verenica itd).

Naspram svega ovoga stoji ludački besmislena priča. Grupa ubica (Bratsvo) ubija vekovima ljude, zato što im imena ljudi koje treba da smaknu budu ispisana na tkanini (?!). Kako, zašto i ko im naređuje? Odgovor - ima u stripu - ovom filmu ne pomaže ni najmanje. Ubice mora da su gadni fanataci kad ubijaju i ne znajući zašto. Ipak, kad sami postanu mete, postaju vrlo logični, razumni i ne-fanatični i uzviknu "jebeš kod, zašto li smo ga i do sada poštovali?". Stvarno glupo, kao i suština filma.

Matrix akcija se može opravdati na tri načina:
1. Junaci imaju natprirodne moći. Možda, ali kako? Jedino se tako može braniti glupost po kojoj glavni junak prolazi kratak kurs i postaje savršeni borac. Ima u stripu? Dobro za strip, ako ima, loše po film.
2. Sve se dešava u Matrixu. Ali, ovo nije Matrix.
3. Reditelj i scenarista se samo šale. Ali ovo je nekako preozbiljno i za Rodrigeza i za Shoot Em Up.

Ako su stvarno junaci ubeđeni da rade pravu stvar, kao što Anđelina kaže navodeći jedan primer iz svog života, scena u kojoj izazivaju pogibiju gomile ljudi u vozu, atraktivna i lepa, podvlači svu besmislenost ideje i priziva Henkoka u sećanje - uz takve heroje negativci nisu potrebni.

I kako se identifikovati sa bilo kim, uprkos trudu Jamesa McAvoya? I zašto je onda uopšte bitno šta se dešava, kad ne znamo motivacije ili nam deluju neubedljivo? Možda samo zato što glavni junak, nekako deluje na silu uvučen u sve, pa onda rezonujemo - nek on preživi, a ostali nek izginu.

Eto, ovakav film će površni prehvaljivati, a oni koji traže nešto više, a imaju tanje živce, odustajaće posle 40 minuta ili manje.

Ipak, prvi pasus kaže da
6/10  nije premnogo, ali jeste maksimum.

[crippled_avenger]

The hiring of "Pooh's Heffalump Movie" scribe Evan Spiliotopoulos to pen the sequel to 2008's violent actioneer "Wanted" surprised a few people last week.

Now the comic's creator and film producer Mark Millar has said on his official site that the scribe "did a GREAT action script recently (on an unproduced movie) and that's what got him this gig."

Millar adds that "'Wanted 2' is being made in a very tight circle at the moment. I know who's in it and after doing 342 million at the box office we have [serious] money to spend on everything from cast to crew to script."

Director Timur Bekmambetov and star James McAvoy are expected to return for the upcoming film.