Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Wesley (James McAvoy) is a guy with a dull routine job and life. One fine day an assassin, Fox (Angelina Jolie), tells him that he is the son of an assassin and a gun-fight and a car-chase with another man (who supposedly is trying to kill Wesley and/ or the assassin) ensues. After warding-off the attacker, he is taken to the location of ‘The Fraternity’ where Sloan (Morgan Freeman) tells him that Wesley’s father was an assassin who worked with them and Wesley is supposed to inherit all that his father left; weapons, money, ‘legacy’ and all. He is also told that he is one of the few people on earth who have the ability of enormous speed and extremely quick reflexes when stressed; when the heart rate increases to abnormal levels (which Wesley so far thinks are just panic attacks).
Wesley chooses his normal way of life, but when he sees his bank balance at his desk, a sudden change (probably some feeling of super-confidence and I-needn’t-do-this-stupid-job-and-take-all-this-crap-coz-I-have-all-the-money-in-the-world) comes over him and he shouts at his boss and hits his backstabbing-friend with a keyboard and walks out of his office and into ‘The Fraternity’.
Wesley learns that the persons to be murdered are chosen based on some code hidden in a piece of fabric produced by a loom! This part is really silly, they should’ve thought of a better idea for where the names of the people come from. Sloan tells Wesley that these are the people who would cause destruction soon and hence they have to be killed to prevent it.
Wesley is then trained by Fox (albeit brutally, grossly) to be a professional assassin and the cute guy at the desk turns into a cold-blooded, high-precision murderer.
A lot of twists and turns and surprises follow, which better be watched than read.
This is one movie that I watched from the beginning to end with my mouth wide open in amazement (a couple of flies did go into my mouth and they had the time to come out unscathed too, so I’m still a vegetarian :P)
The way the movie was made is awesome – dark, treacherous and so out of this world – I got a feeling that what they were doing is pretty cool and powerful! I usually hate action stunts - they look very deliberate and impossible and make me wonder if I’m watching a movie or a circus and I was impressed with the action scenes in this movie; so imagine how good and well-shot they must be. I loved the curving of the bullets, I wonder if it's really possible :D
I just love it when I watch a movie without even the slightest inkling of what it is about/ who stars in it, and end up loving it!!!
N btw, move over Tom Hanks, my fav is now James McAvoy :D :D :D
Verdict: Those who like action movies/ Angelina Jolie/ James McAvoy :P will love it!
My Rating: 4/5