2008 feels like one of those years for cinema that will continue to go down in history as an iconic chain of successes. Among films like Iron Man and The Dark Knight that released that year was another low-key comic based IP, and one of the best action movies. I'm talking about director Timur Bekmambetov’s adaptation of the graphic novel Wanted. which debuted in theaters 15 years ago on this very day. And when the movie went to theaters, it showed the world that James McAvoy could indeed slap Chris Pratt with a keyboard. And Pratt has celebrated that very scene on social media.
Taking to Instagram to share that very clip, the action/comedy superstar wasn’t shy about what happens. As James McAvoy’s Wesley finally confronts his supposed “friend” Barry, played by the Guardians of the Galaxy star, a long brewing fit of rage sees our hero knocking some teeth out in a rather artistic way. The comedic actor's message, and the scene in question, can be enjoyed below:
In all fairness, this moment really needs some context. This isn’t the usual heroic Chris Pratt we’re used to seeing in The Terminal List, the Jurassic World movies, or any of the other best Pratt roles. Nor is Barry the sort of lovable goofball that helped this Hollywood Chris’ star rise through the hit comedy Parks and Recreation.
By this point in the movie, we’ve seen that Barry is a sponge that loves to sleep with Wesley’s girlfriend and make his buddy pay for the protection. So yeah, those teeth had it coming, and right at the moment when Wesley has been drafted into a league of assassins, to the tune of a couple million dollars. Oh, and the Danny Elfman tune "The Little Things" just makes the moment even more satisfying, as it plays over that scene above.
The fact that Chris Pratt is highlighting such a scene with this sort of casual charm is part of what makes him so fun to follow. Unafraid to highlight this horrid candidate for deserving a beating in public view, the big-screen hero is laughing at his own capacity for on-screen villainy. And as it turns out, he loves it as much as we do.
With the actor's thoughts on a Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel seeming hopeful, there’s a chance that revenge could be had. If anything, casting James McAvoy as a Nintendo villain waiting to take on Mario and Luigi could be a fun reversal of what’s happened in the past. Anything’s possible, and one good turn deserves another in cases such as these. And with that we wish a splendid happy 15th birthday to Wanted!
Chris Pratt thrills can easily be found with a Prime Video subscription, thanks to The Terminal List and The Tomorrow War both being available exclusively on that platform. Though you could also rent Wanted if you feel like celebrating along with the man himself, as Pratt seems to be inviting the world to do just that. It's only fair to play along with the guy whose teeth got knocked out.
