Wild Target

I usually try and avoid trailers for want of spoilers, but after seeing the trailer for Wild Target I was looking forward to seeing it as it came across as a potential little gem. Well, all I can say is well done to the editor of the trailer cos you had me fooled pal. It obviously strives to be an A Fish Called Wanda clone but this effort is severely lacking the sharpness of that screen play and the film has an overall cheap look and feel to it. In the film Bill Nighy stars as Victor, a ruthless hitman who finds himself drawn to his latest target, a con woman called Rose (Emily Blunt). After sparing her life, then saving her life (as you do), they find themselves on the run from Rose’s last mark, played by Rupert Everett, and his cronies. The introduction of Rupert Grint as a possible apprentice is pointless and superfluous to the main strand of the storyline, that of the growing relationship between Victor and Rose. In terms of that, loves does move in mysterious ways, but their blossoming romance never convinces, not helped by the age gap. Martin Freeman also pops up as a rival assassin (Dixon) and though it’s a paper thin part Freeman does his best to portray him as ruthless and sadistic. However, the tone of the film is is uneven throughout and some scenes of comic violence against people just come across as plain cruel. Throw in an awful soundtrack and lacklustre directing from the usually safe if not spectacular Jonathan Lynn and you have a film on which even Victor himself would perform a mercy killing.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Off Target, more like. Rating: 3/10