How do you say BADASS in Russian?

Because I'll bet Timur Bekmambetov has heard it ad nauseum in the past couple weeks. I saw his film WANTED over the weekend. And it was exactly that -

BAD. ASS.

See, I'm one of those girls that can hang with the comic book, science fiction, Legends of Zelda (yeah, I'm old) geeksters of the world. I've never really been a reader of comics, but through the magic of film adaptation and cult TV series, I have realized... These are my people. This realm is my realm. I identify with the themes, you know? It's all about good vs evil, getting revenge, damning the man, saving the empire, avenging the death of your mother/brother/friend and falling in love with the untouchable or ungettable or maybe just your sidekick you never thought of in that way... It's about realizing your strength as a person...

And being a FUCKING. BAD. ASS.

Everyone can identify with that a little bit. And I love filmmakers who do top-notch badass.

Timur Bekmambetov is a Russian director I discovered after a friend recommended his movie Night Watch. Then I saw Day Watch, the next movie in what is a soon to be completed trilogy about the forces of Day and Night battling each other in a gorgeously gritty Matrix-on-acid Moscow landscape. Seriously, I had to watch the 1st movie twice, there was so much going on. But I was hooked. And from that movie to Wanted, with some other Russian titles in between, Timur has obviously honed his directing skills to a fine razor point. He is genius.

Now I'll talk about the actors of WANTED:

First of all... Okay. I'm one of the few non-fans of Angelina Jolie...
(though, I did finally watch Mr & Mrs Smith - one sweltering evening in my dark, hotbox of an apartment because we have free HBO until September! - and begrudgingly enjoyed it)
...and she was badass in this movie. It made me like her again. Because badass is her forte. Enough with the forties pin-curl roles already. I like her best when she's being all dark and tough and pouty.

Common is in the movie, too. Common is hot. Common can act. But even if he couldn't... he's badass just standing there, man.

Morgan Freeman is all stoic and mysterious and, like Angelina, at his best that way. He's been in a couple soft, weepies lately and they aren't doing him any favors. I have no interest in him and Jack Nicholson sky-diving together unless they plan to kick some ass when they land.

Konstantin Khabensky, the Russian dude that stars in the Night Watch trilogy, has a role, too. It was like running into an old friend you haven't seen in a while and you're like, Hey, I forgot how much I like you! He plays a kooky guy and he's kind of adorable. And he speaks English, which I didn't know. Hello American cross-over career? Some talent manager better jump on that quick.

And then there's...
JAMES MCAVOY.

Yet another of my Brit boy crushes. Actually he's Scottish, which is even better...

*sigh*

I always like to gloat when I'm ahead of the curve and my eye for talent is validated... and this is no exception. I knew about McAvoy before most people did. He was in a BBC miniseries called State of Play that I saw years ago before it aired on BBC America and before Universal decided to adapt it into a film and recast the leads with flashy A-list stars. Among all the notable UK talent in the original ensemble cast, McAvoy stood out. Mostly because I thought he was cute and then, upon closer attention, because he's a phenomenal actor.

(Good-lookers with blue eyes, an accent AND talent to spare? Holy hell, they're like my Kryptonite!)

So, then I randomly saw him at an LA Film Festival party a year later, when he was still relatively unknown. Leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette, of course. I worked up the nerve and went over to tell him how great I thought he was and that he had a bright future ahead of him (ahem...). He was v. gracious and almost shy and when he stood straight to shake my hand......... Yeah, he was shorter than me. Even if I hadn't been wearing 4" heels he'd just barely reach my height. It's always such a disappointment when they turn out to be Pocket People - and a bloody LOT of them are. He still left me all aflutter which I don't usually get around most actors. It's like my "It" factor radar. And whaddya know? Today he's one of the buzziest young actors around. As in he's stirring up the Hollywood buzz. He's done the indie thing... and the romantic comedy thing... and the award-nominated epic period romance thing... and the fantastical creature thing...

Did I ever think he'd play an action hottie with an American accent and PULL IT OFF? Mmm, not so much. Boy, was I glad to be proven wrong. He was a revelation in this movie. And definitely the winner of MOST. BAD. ASS. He has officially ascended the ranks and conquered the sink-or-swim "bankable popcorn action flick star" echelon. Obviously his range of talent is not to be underestimated, but what's more... There's this shot near the end of the movie when he's finally really owning his badassness... Let's see...

Oh my... Uh huh... That's the one. Made me want to cut my legs off at the knee just so I could look UP into his smoldering blue eyes next time I see him. Too bad he's married. Although, who wants to put money on that - when a star rises in Hollywood, the wife is the first to go, right? Actually not so much with the UK actors. They were all brought up proper-like. They keep their traditional values. Okay, not all of them. UK actresses...? Maybe a different story. In some cases...

So, there it is. This wasn't meant to be a review. Clearly, because I made no comment or critique of the plot - which was kept fairly simple, with a not entirely unpredictable twist at the end. Or of the action - which, simply put, is edge of your seat, Holy shit did that just happen, FUCKING AWESOME. I am curious... Who came first? Bekmambetov or the Wachowskis? Similar styles. Who does it better? I think Bekmambetov drew off their innovations and dialed it up about 50 decibels with some insanely creative and clever stunts that have just the right touch of irony to make you laugh and shout, Dude! That's just my opinion. And this is just my enthusiastic recommendation. Because I'm not lying when I say I felt like a geek boy in women's clothing having a full-on comic nerd wet dream when I saw this film.

Yeah, I said it.

GO SEE IT.