
In my Hate review of The Best Man (2023), I noticed that Dolph Lundgren starred in a number of mediocre films. You may call them poor films, but this was not Lundgren’s fault because he was in most cases the only reason to watch them. So, I was quite excited about this one, Too Fat Too Furious. This is because this time around, besides acting, Lundgren was directing once again.
As a rule, every time whichever film Lundgren directed worked, already on the list of such films we have The Mechanik, Missionary Man, and Command Performance which are some of the classics of Lundgren in the second phase of his career. These films fall amongst the best of his because they all made good use of Lundgren’s unique set of skills. The range of styles for the films is quite diverse, but the action comes out as quite good for them because Lundgren is quite effective in straightforward approaches.
Castle Falls (2021) performed admirably even though other determinants fell short, with the action and acting being the most significant. Hence, even though Wanted Man did not reach my preconceived expectations, I realized that there was more good to it. The opposite was revealed to me. Simply put, I was disappointed by Wanted Man which, in every aspect, was a downfall in comparison to Lundgren’s previous two directorial releases and, unlike the others, there was a terrifying lack of action.
Such a scenario is surprising considering that Wanted Man is, in several aspects, a baby of Lundgren, given that it has been in the pre-production phase for over a decade. And maybe I am being opportunistic, as apparently the film is something else, and Lundgren has been serving me wrong, especially when it is being promoted as an action flick, which sadly is a promise left unfulfilled if the case is true.
As for the movie itself, it is at least somewhat enjoyable to watch, especially for Lundgren’s followers, so there is no need to be totally disappointed with it. Now the screenplay written by Lundgren, along with Michael Worth and Hank Hugues is totally repetitive, but still has some light elements that make it tolerable.
In general terms, the story is rather predictable but it is not shy in venturing into dark areas and has a strong viewpoint. In fact, if Wanted Man was marketed in the correct way, as the drama that it is instead of a generic Lundgren film with action being an afterthought, I think it would have been more believable or at any rate more closely aligned to my expectations. I suppose also in view of Lundgren’s presence, he had little choice since there are some kinks that come with his involvement.
Characters are part of the movie that sets it apart, and one in particular, Lundgren’s character, is especially interesting, the racist who operates under the name Johansen. In the film, he is depicted as a racist slur video offender, who is currently under suspension. Even when Roger Cross, who plays his Captain in the film, manages to salvage his reputation and get him back in the force, he is quick to brush off all the severance issues he faces to Mexicans which is obnoxious to say but that’s how he is portrayed in the movie. I found it compelling as it had its roots in the era in the ’60s and ’70s where the character building of the script seemed to focus on less appealing attributes as it did on them being less appealing.
It was also noteworthy to mention that Lundgren was quickly written off when there was a mention of his age. It is hardly news that his job normal range in contrast to the significant amount of surgery has taken a toll on him as he is always using medication. Even a report of his operative ankle and arm reveals that they are not having a smooth road to recovery. This probably explains why Lundgren’s character of Johansen isn’t as agile as he used to be. A washed-up Johansen only comes out when it is prime time.
Out of nowhere, Johansen is almost on a forced trip to Mexico and after a few prostitutes who need to be smuggled across the border into the US for testimony, two undercover DEA agents get shot when a heist goes wrong. And like everyone expected, the people who pulled the robbery were not very supportive of the fact that the women had to give witness statements so they beat them up. On the other hand, Johansen and a prostitute Rosa are assured that they are the only ones who successfully resist the trauma.
In Rosa’s team, he sees no chance of survival and so considers himself and her as the only forces left to save themselves. During the course of the film Johansen undergoes an attitude change, at first it remains unchanged and he kept mocking everyone. In the end, he has no other option but to rely on those with whom he kept constantly arguing with, while Rosa’s family did everything to save him.
The character building is well done in this segment of the movie, it had a few good lines, and probably the best action, or the best fight, in the whole film. Had there been a few more scenes alike, Wanted Man would have been a much-cherished movie. There are no elements of suspense and of any kind of drama and no background songs in the matter. It is only towards the end of the film that a very mediocre fight is presented, which is hardly a fraction of the more thrilling fights that were promised.
I would emphasize that this brief fight scene is arguably the most action-packed and entertaining scene of the entire movie, although I believe a three-second break best suits the overall timing of the piece. After moving upward towards a more promising new second course, the film appears to revert to this other kind of soft focus, however, let me get back to the direction of the fights. While many of them still were made well before Lundgren’s character was developed, some appeared. Fans of the movie are anticipating a big hero to pop out and wreak havoc, the shotgun spray does the trick for the time being.
Lundgren’s cinematic tactics are unique; one of my many favorite things about him is how hje blends a completely brutal touch to his works by employing blood squibs instead of typical digital blood. Case in ans point, his take on Mechanik and the previously overlooked Ikaros otherwise recognized as The Killing Machine(2010), these films motivate me to reach the top of my field. The home invasion scene was intricately designed, but unfortunately did not expect that to be the only thing the film had to offer.
Artificial intelligence-like resources such a this rarely appreciate the grand scale that are Michael Pare and Lundgren, Lundgren is not the only 1980 legendary actor that comes in Wanted Men. Johansen’s friends retrieve sir Pare who steps into scene only for a while as an aged-looking detective who’s a key character in one of Johansen’s childhood stories, which makes it understandable as to why he hasn’t fully developed. In spite of having low expectations as to what pai would perform in a scant few scenes, he proved me completely wrong reversing the odds.
Kelsey Grammer may have had more publicity material than other cast members as a result of being geared more towards C-list movies, but he is still classified as a supporting actor alongside Pare since he only has slightly better screen time. The way in which Grammer acts in the film isn’t difficult to grasp, but no matter the case, his character is always an enjoyable one, especially during the scenes where he wears the very smart fabrics on top of his shirt. In their later professional life, he and several DTV/VOD movies have been successful, but they have also starred in not-so-great ones. Though undoubtedly not the best film ever, it stands head and shoulders above Money Plane made in 2020.
For the most part, the other half of the story revolves around a relatively new character: Christina Villa, who, with the exception of Lundgren, spent the most time onscreen. Because she is in almost every sequence with Lundgren, her story is critical as it focuses on Lundgren. Towards the beginning of the film when the idea of a romantic relationship between them was introduced, as a couple, they worked well together, but that point was rather illogical.
I wish I could say I liked Wanted Man more than I did, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. I like to consider it as an experience that is akin to a good wine, since it only improves with time. I should have expected it because I went in holding expectations for a decent action thriller and ended up receiving a mind-numbing chicken drama instead.
The best thing that I could learn from Wanted Man is that Lundgren got absolutely nothing cut from any of it. Unlike in The Best Man, Showdown at the Grand (2023), or Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) when he was only a supporting actor, he is completely involved in the action for this one. Out of these three, I would recommend Showdown at the Grand only, as a lot of things could have been done to improve it, but it had just enough interesting things that added value.
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