BASED upon Mark Millar’s explosive graphic novel series and helmed by stunning visualist director Timur Bekmambetov – creator of the most successful Russian film franchise in history, the Night Watch series – Wanted could well become one of the action hits of the summer if they get the mix right.

The film tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice – namely, Wesley Gibson.

Twenty-five-year-old Wes (played by James McAvoy) was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. His boss chewed him out hourly, his girlfriend ignored him routinely and his life plodded on interminably. Everyone was certain this disengaged slacker would amount to nothing. There was little else for Wes to do but wile away the days and die in his slow, clock-punching rut.

Until, that is, he met a woman named Fox (Angelina Jolie). After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly, sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad’s death by unlocking his dormant powers.

As she teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, Wes discovers this team lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: carry out the death orders given by fate itself.

And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny.

According to Russian director Bekmambetov Wanted is a fantasy hidden inside our real world. “It’s about these people with special abilities who walk among us,” he told Total Film magazine.

“There are lots of stunts. The movie is like a giant stunt. There’s a great car chase with Angelina sitting on the hood of the car and shooting lots of guns. There’s also a great crash scene with a catastrophe involving a train that goes falling into an abyss.

“The final sequence has James, our hero, killing 100 people in 10 seconds! He’s running through an army of people, killing them with their own weapons.”

Eat your heart out John Woo, it seems. And feast, feast, feast if you’re an action fan.

Wanted opens in UK cinemas on June 27, 2008, and we’re suitably excited. Watch trailers and featurettes

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