This is an action movie based on a comic book by Mark Millar and JG Jones. I have read that comic years ago, but I can’t remember much about it. This movie though is very different from it. It simplifies the plot and it makes the characters more likable.
I think they did a good job with the plot, it is very focused on Wesley and the history of the Fraternity. There’s not too much explanation about that history, just enough for the plot to work and not too much to bore us with details. Much of it is left for our imagination or a possible sequel.
The action scenes are obviously a big part of this movie. The first scene with the Killer reminded me a little bit about the Matrix, not just the visuals, but that feeling of excitement about these super-powered characters. But the way the Killer is assassinated seems silly or too simple. But that’s from the comic.
Other scenes are also cool, the big chase scene with Fox, Wesley’s training etc… I thought the scene on the train was very exciting, not only for the sequence but also for the tension between Fox and Wesley. That’s also the scene where the big twist is revealed. This is quite a different twist than the comic, but I thought it worked.
The resolution and big fight at the end was another good surprise. The way Fox reacts to the truth was unexpected, especially since it diverges so much from the comic. I really liked that part. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the actual ending, Morgan Freeman going in the field to try and kill Wesley really didn’t work for me, it’s just totally different from what we’ve seen of his character in the entire movie. And the decoy scene is used again, which I still had a problem with.
One cool thing about this movie was the curve ball. Everybody’s seen it in the trailer, but it looked great in every scene, paving the way for the final scene.
James McAvoy actually looked good as an action star, but the first few scenes were definitely more suited for him. Angelina Jolie looked hot as ever, but that just comes natural to her. I guess there’s not much character development, not even for Wesley. But that’s not the focus of this movie.
I had a good time with this movie, very entertaining. Not very deep and a little too positive, especially compared to the comic. But a good fun movie.
Rating: 3.5 Stars