WANTED

RYAN: Angelina Jolie’s new summer movie, “Wanted,” is big with a capital “IG.”

CAROLINE: It’s a fast-paced action thrill ride for sure, and I kept thinking, “I really should be eating more popcorn right now” because this is the true definition of a popcorn movie.

RYAN: To the Nth degree. This might be my favorite action film in history. I know that’s a bold statement.

CAROLINE: Given that you’ve seen five movies this year that you’ve proclaimed to be your “favorite film of the year,” I’m going to take that with a grain of salt.

RYAN: Well, I’m thinking of all the action movies I’ve seen, and this is my favorite. From the very beginning, you see things that you’ve never seen before in a film. The effects are so well done and I loved the action sequences.

CAROLINE: It has elements of several other movies, which isn’t to say it’s completely derivative. But at times it reminded me of everything from “Minority Report” to “The Matrix” to “Office Space” – in a good way. There’s one scene at the beginning involving an elevator that’s so cool and it almost doesn’t make sense. But then later you find out what’s going on.

RYAN: James McAvoy is just gorgeous and he’s fast making my list of favorite actors. I’ve loved him in everything he’s done. Welcome to stardom, young McAvoy.

CAROLINE: It was so jarring for me to hear his voice over with an American accent! I’m so used to him being all Brit in “Atonement,” and he has those British teeth. He did a great job, don’t get me wrong; I only heard him say “bean” instead of “been” once. It’s just such a departure for him. I think he’s really kicked it up a notch.

RYAN: All the supporting players are really good too. I loved the woman who played James McAvoy’s boss and the guy who played his best friend. The casting was perfect. It’s also very well written. The movie is a complete joy.

CAROLINE: I don’t think I liked it quite as much as you did. It’s very much a boy movie, which is fine. But in some scenes I was thinking, “Oh my God, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” and in others, I was more like, “OK, that’s really far-fetched.”

RYAN: Yes, but it didn’t bother me at all. This is a true blockbuster. It’s everything you want to see. It’s huge, it’s thrilling and I even laughed out loud several times, not because it was funny, but because of the sheer delight of how brilliant the action was.

CAROLINE: And some scenes were actually funny, which I appreciated. I actually clapped at one point I was laughing so hard. I just thought it was a little over-the-top at times. Doesn’t mean I didn’t like it though; I’d still recommend it. The squeamish should be warned that it’s pretty bloody.

RYAN: Yes, but it’s a slo-mo kind of violence that’s almost cartoonish so it’s less scary.

CAROLINE: The movie definitely has some comic book elements, especially in the action and the gunplay. It is, after all, based on a graphic novel.

RYAN: Let’s discuss Angelina. I could love this woman in the biblical sense. She has never looked better. She’s painfully thin, but insanely gorgeous. I was almost drooling looking at her. And she’s a really good actress to boot. She’s an Oscar winner don’t forget.

CAROLINE: She’s great, and I was pleased to notice that she’s showing a little age in her face. There’s a wrinkle here and there, and it made me feel better about my own self-image.

RYAN: She’s such a badass in this movie. This role is right up her alley.

CAROLINE: I think she really defines the badass female in movies. We’ve loved her in other things like “A Mighty Heart,” but this is really what she does best. The determination on her face when she’s wielding a gun is like no other.

RYAN: But then in some scenes she breaks that hardness, and can be soft and funny. She’s amazing. I love her.

CAROLINE: I loved the music too! It totally enhanced all the action.

RYAN: Danny Elfman did the score and it’s great.

CAROLINE: Also worth mentioning are Morgan Freeman and Common in supporting roles. Bottom line?

RYAN: This is one of the coolest and best-edited films we’ve ever seen. The way they slow scenes down and the way you get inside James McAvoy’s head to see what he’s feeling while experiencing an anxiety attack… it’s just amazing.

CAROLINE: You almost feel like you’re having an anxiety attack right along with him.

RYAN: The movie really achieves new heights in filmmaking. I can’t say enough about it. I can’t imagine anyone not loving this.

CAROLINE: I sure can. For people who aren’t into violence or action or graphic novels, this movie would be a nightmare. I wouldn’t recommend it to my parents, for example. But it’s definitely high energy and a lot of fun. It’ll make you want to grab your friend’s arm and squeeze it hard. If you’re like me, you’ll be insanely jealous of Angelina and how hot and badass she is. Overall, I think men will like it more than women since it’s a boy movie. Get a big popcorn, strap yourself in and have fun watching this one!