Wild Target

Director: Jonathan Lynn

Stars: Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint, Martin Freeman and Rupert Everett

Rated: M

Three words come to mind when I think of Wild Target – British comedy romp.

There are car chases, mini minors, bumbling henchmen, and of course no upstanding British comedy would be complete without the likes of Bill Nighy and Rupert Everett.

Victor (Bill Nighy), a 55 year old career assassin, is neat, methodical and always gets the job done. Rose (Emily Blunt), is the complete opposite, chaotic, bubbly, accustom to using her feminine ways to get what she wants and a con artist.

When Rose crosses the wrong man, Victor is hired to kill her and for the first time in his life, he’s incapable of completing the job, instead finding himself mixed up in protecting Rose.

Wild Target is the type of film that is completely and utterly predictable in every way, but you know what? You love it nonetheless.

The humour is dry and obvious, but the characters are so diverse from one another, that you start to believe this group of misfit individuals could actually work well together.  The fact you believe that flighty grifter Rose, could fall for Victor’s uptight assassin, is a testament to the onscreen chemistry between Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt, and a certain foot rubbing scene (albeit extremely gross for me to watch) is both tender and moving.

Rupert Grint, otherwise known as Ron Weasley for those of you living under a rock for the past 10 years, is charming as homeless man Tony, but his character is the only thing that feels a tad hit and miss, used as filler for a few off kilter comedy bits and nice neat little ending.

An honourable mention should go to Rupert Everett, who although looking a little worse for wear on screen, is brilliant (as usual) as callous crime boss Ferguson.

The stand out by far though is Martin Freeman. Fans of the UK version of The Office, will love Freeman’s egotistical, maniacal Dixion, complete with a disturbingly, tooth perfect grin. 

I’ll give it to you straight – Wild Target is very funny. Although the film loses a little of its comedy edge in the last act by leaning towards the dramatic, it’s still a delightful little mad cap comedy caper, complete with all those wonderful stereotypes that you love in British comedies.

#movie #moviereview #filmreview #film #wildtarget #emilyblunt #rupertgring #martinfreeman #ruperteverett

– Suzanna Parisi

Originally published in DB Magazine #Issue508 (street mag no longer exists - link no longer available)