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In cinema there is a point where originality seems to end up battling execution. Everything has been done, certainly, but some concepts come to the forefront more than others. Thus when a movie roots itself in what have become age old tales it is going to draw greater scrutiny than movies bringing something original to the table. This is the state of mind the recent release Wanted quickly brought me into.

Is originality truly dead? I do not think so. Just look at a movie like Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind, Equilibrium, Fight Club or The Matrix for proof of that. I mention those last two because they are both very original films that I think drew from the same well as this movie. Existential despair, dreaming of more, etc. Especially in regard to The Matrix, this movie feels like the echo of an echo.

A man works in a cubicle filled office doing something undefined with computers. He loathes his lot in life and feels destined for more. He is seen as an underacheiving dreamer. Enter a black clad woman whose mission is to bring him to a master trainer who needs his services. He is revealed to have had secret talents all along and in fact is the only one capable of defeating their enemy. Sound familiar?

From the plot to the many slow motion shots of bullets flying to a scene where our main character is taught to "bend the bullet" (reminding one of the concept of dodging bullets in The Matrix) it is pretty obvious where this movie got its inspiration from. Does that make it a bad movie in and of itself?

I do not think so. I have noted movies with even more similarities that both maintained their own identity because of small but well defined differences in either plot or execution. This movie does come close to acheiving that with some very interesting action scenes. It puts its mind to the task of creating an action epic, no doubt. I do however lament the fact that it did not bring a heart along for the ride.

Morgan Freeman does well in this in a role-as a wise, authoritarian figure-that by now he could do in his sleep. Angelina Jolie is extremely sexy (her tattoos deserve their own credit) and has a grace about the way she moves that makes her the strongest point in this film other than the action scenes themselves. She does not have much dialogue but is a constant presence throughout the film. James McAvoy is more than serviceable even though he is not given enough to work with to show off his talents.

However, if there is a star in this

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