Wanted (2008)

Based on the graphic novel of the same name, *Wanted* introduces us to Wesley Gibson, a chronically anxious office drone whose pathetic life is upended by a hail of gunfire. He soon discovers that his recently murdered father – who Wesley never knew – belonged to a secret guild of assassins called the Fraternity. After a leather-clad sexpot named Fox (Angelina Jolie) drafts Wesley into the society, he is brutally trained to unlock his dormant genetic abilities. Under the tutelage of the enigmatic Sloan (Morgan Freeman), he hones his innate killing skills—learning to bend bullets and defy the laws of physics—and transforms from a doormat into a ruthless avenger bent on hunting down his father's killer. *Wanted* is arguably the purest distillation of Timur Bekmambetov's signature directorial style and stands as his most successful Hollywood blockbuster. The film is a landmark of early 21st-century action, showcasing the director's unparalleled gift for hyper-kinetic, visually audacious set pieces. Bekmambetov takes the comic's premise and injects it with a shot of pure cinematic adrenaline, from the iconic curving bullets and reality-bending stunts to the visceral, slow-motion-infused gun-fu. He masterfully translated the frenetic, gritty, and imaginative energy of his Russian hits like *Night Watch* for a global audience, creating a relentlessly entertaining and unapologetically stylish spectacle that remains a high-water mark in his filmography.