Wanted / Kick-Ass / Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World / Hellboy 2

Wanted

Loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones, Wanted, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, follows anxiety-prone office drone Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) as he is inducted into the Fraternity, a clan of powerful killers that counted his father as a member. Pursued by rogue agent Cross (Thomas Kretschmann), Wesley is trained by the sleek, sexy Fox (Angelina Jolie) and the charismatic Sloan (Morgan Freeman), among others, to be just as proficient and deadly as his father. Once Wesley becomes a master assassin, he must confront Cross, and contend with the stunning ramifications of that encounter.

Straying rather far from the Wanted comic's supervillain-centric premise, Wanted runs with the edgy Eastern European aesthetic of Russian helmer Bekmambetov, who garnered international recognition with the stylish vampire epic Night Watch. While Jolie is a gleefully destructive presence in her action-heavy scenes, the film belongs to McAvoy, who transforms from milquetoast to manhunter with verve and charm. And like the similarly themed The Matrix before it, Wanted also showcases some eye-catching special effects, most notably in the loopy concept of 'curving bullets'. Though devotees of the Wanted comic may be dismayed with the many liberties taken with the story, the movie is undeniably energetic and entertaining, making it fun summer blockbuster fare.

Kick-Ass

When Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager, sets about trying to become the no-power vigilante Kick-Ass, he soon discovers he's not alone. But he's out of his depth – a fearless and highly trained father-daughter crime-fighting duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl, have declared war on New-York mafioso, Frank D'Amico. As Kick-Ass and his new found friend, Red Mist, get drawn into their no-holds-barred world of bullets and blood, the stage is set for a final showdown – in which the DIY hero will have to live up to his name... or die trying.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), besides being the bass player in an average garage band called Sex Bob-omb, doesn't have a lot going for him, he has no job, isn't very popular and doesn't have a girlfriend. But his life changes dramatically when he meets Ramona Flowers and becomes her boyfriend. Life seems great; he finally has a girlfriend who he really cares about but now must tackle a dangerous mission in order to keep her. He must defeat all of Ramona's evil ex boyfriends who are coming to kill him!

Highly original action comedy from critically acclaimed director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). (Matt Fairfield)

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

The fate of mankind hangs in the balance when a ruthless prince awakens an unstoppable army of creatures and wages war with the human world. It's up to Hellboy and his team of paranormal outcasts to face off with the forces of darkness in the ultimate battle of good versus evil!