Wild Target

Review by Anthony Morris

Wild Target really shouldn't work. Looked at objectively, in a lot of ways it's a failure. 

The story of a very proper English upper class assassin (Bill Nighy) who falls for his target (Emily Blunt) and then finds himself in the unusual position (for him) of having to keep her alive with his only help only a likable drifter (Rupert Grint) he's adopted as his assistant. 

We're talking mildly amusing at best. 

The characters are broad stereotypes, the comedy is forced, the romance is unconvincing, plot threads are left dangling in every direction and the whole thing is wrapped in the idea of an upper-class Englishness that is both dated and cliched. 

Yet, somehow, a kind of crude charm shines through. 

That's largely thanks to Nighy's excellent performance, which brings to likable life a character who has as much realism to him as a badly stuffed teddy bear - and as much charm. 

With him at the film's core, the rest of the cast can be as cartoony as they like safe in the knowledge that the viewer has something to hold onto.

As a result the whole film, for all its flaws (and the numerous casual murders), seems to give off the kind of light-hearted fun that's as fragile as a soap bubble. 

It's hardly classic comedy, but it's fun while it lasts, and there are plenty of more ambitious and competently-made films that can't even manage that.

3 out of 5

Wild Target
Australian release: 11th November, 2010
Official Site: Wild Target
Cast: Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint, Rupert Everett, Eileen Atkins, Martin Freeman
Director: Jonathan Lynn