As Wired wraps its head around Wanted, the $50 million opening weekend excuse to up Angelina Jolie's income statement, and all the tricks it employs to make things like a high-speed train crash look like something a little better than a four-year-old crashing in Thomas the Train toy, it finds what is quickly becoming the most recycled character devices on screen: tattoos.
In one of the movie's goofier elements, the so-called Loom of Fate weaves information into the warp and woof of cloth fabrics embedded with binary code that spells out the assassins' next assignments.
The tattoos on Jolie's body (right) relate directly to the movie's "loom" mythology, the actress said.
"Fox has binary codes on her arm, which is part of a reading of the fabric from the Loom of Fate," said Jolie. "She has 'know your rights' in different languages and 'toil and tears,' which is from a Churchill speech. Giving Fox all these tattoos is symbolic of somebody who lives by a certain code of honor."
Lord. Are we still playing this game?
In Lost, Michael Fox's Jack Sheppard has tattoos on his left arm that he got inked in Phuket. The Chinese characters read, "He walks among us, but he is not one of us," or maybe it's "Eagles high up, cleaving the space," which could explain one of the many facets of the island — or nothing at all.
On Prison Break, Wentworth Miller's Michael Scofield had his entire body drawn upon with various coded maps and info nuggets that were the key to his escape and, ridiculously, several situations he's happened upon since. Scofield's tattoos have their own Wikipedia entry, for chrissakes.
Might we please move on from tattoos that solve life's mysteries? A pattern of varicose veins that let you communicate with God would be preferable at this point.
Editorial Director
Angelina is so confused because she actually has some of those tattoos herself. Poor thing lost count. Just like I did.
I thought the tats suited the fantastic action flick. I loved Angie playing Fox and apparently so did the rest of the audience who applauded the film when it ended.
Wanted so far has made $83,368,900 when they were only expecting it to take in 35 to 40 mil.
Great action flick if you are into brilliant action. WOW!! As the director said this movie would not have happened if not for Angie.
Tats and all Angelina Jolie gave us a hell of a good movie over the weekend.
Sexy biotch that she is. Gotta love her.
Has this super ugly, allegedly female movie thing tattooed a pair of tits onto her boy chest yet?
Regis are Crazy and blind and stupid, "super ugly" if you can call Angi super ugly, imagine what you look like?