Wanted Man lacks the grit and engagement expected from an action thriller, especially when compared to what Hollywood has offered lately. Dolph Lundgren takes the director’s chair in this one, but the effort doesn’t quite live up to expectations. The film struggles with identity and fails to fit well into the action genre.
Characters feel underdeveloped, and their stories are shallow, making it difficult for the audience to feel any emotional connection. Even the background of the lead characters doesn’t hold enough weight to leave an impression.
Rosa chooses compassion over escape in a moment that rewrites trust (Photo: Wanted Man/Wonder Street, Millennium Media and Davis Film)For fans of Lundgren who have followed his work since childhood, curiosity might still lead them to watch it – and to such fans, I say thank you. Spoilers are included from this point forward.
Wanted Man (2024) Plot Summary and Movie Synopsis:
Things kick off behind a nightclub, where DEA agents pretending to be drug dealers are making a deal. Suddenly, a group of attackers ambushes the area, killing everyone present. By some stroke of luck, two women manage to escape the chaos and go into hiding.
A few days later, they’re picked up by the police in Mexico for stealing and placed under protective custody, as they’re now key witnesses in the killing of the DEA agents.
Meanwhile, back in the United States, Travis Johansen – a seasoned officer recently caught in controversy over a racist comment – is given a task in Mexico. He’s asked to retrieve the two girls and escort them safely across the border.
This assignment is meant to serve as a form of damage control, cleaning up his reputation after he insulted a Mexican man during an earlier incident. Besides that, Johansen is believed to have the right skills for the job and is expected to handle it professionally.
Johansen’s Journey with the Witnesses Begins
Despite his dislike for Mexico, Johansen takes on the mission, even though friends had advised him against it. After arriving, he picks up the girls and begins the journey toward the US border, updating his superior along the way.
Just when things appear calm, two men in a car suddenly start shooting at them. The surprise attack injures Johansen and kills everyone else except Rosa, one of the two girls.
Acting on instinct, Johansen shields Rosa from the armed men disguised as police officers. It becomes clear to him that their goal was to eliminate the witnesses, as Lita, the other woman, is killed in the ambush. Johansen successfully neutralizes the attackers and saves Rosa.
As the tension dies down, the pain from his wound kicks in, forcing him to rely on Rosa for help. She gets the chance to run or even harm him, but instead, she chooses to save him by calling for assistance.
Life at Rosa’s Family Home
When Johansen regains consciousness, he finds himself handcuffed to a bed, but his wounds have been properly treated. He starts to sense that he’s now a captive in Rosa’s home.
Rosa explains that the house belongs to her brother and that the attackers had only posed as police officers — in reality, they were linked to a drug cartel. She cautions Johansen not to make calls, suspecting that someone has been leaking their location whenever he tries to reach out.
Gradually, Johansen begins to warm up to the people around him. He and Rosa’s mother even start watching TV together. Rosa later proposes that she will travel with him back to the US and testify, helping bring the real culprits to justice.
She believes that the attackers were American officers and tells Johansen she overheard one of them claiming to have worked with a DEA agent.
What Becomes of Rosa’s Cousin?
After deciding to cooperate, Rosa lets Johansen contact his superior. He calls Officer Hernandez and explains everything that has happened. Hernandez promises to send help. Johansen informs Rosa’s brother about their plan to leave, but the brother refuses and orders that Johansen be restrained once again. Not long after, a suspicious car stops outside. Armed men emerge, leading to a violent exchange.
What started as damage control turns into a fight for survival (Photo: Wanted Man/Wonder Street, Millennium Media and Davis Film)Johansen and Rosa’s brother manage to fight their way out of the situation, although Rosa’s cousin loses his life during the shooting. Afterwards, Johansen and Rosa take shelter in a nearby hotel.
There, Rosa opens up about her past, sharing the many hardships she has endured while trying to create a better future for herself in America. Meanwhile, Johansen contacts his old friend Brynner and seeks assistance to cross the border safely.
Truth Comes to Light
By morning, Brynner and their mutual friends — Adam and Tinelli — arrive, promising to help Johansen and Rosa get through the border safely. As introductions are made, Rosa notices a bracelet on Brynner’s wrist. She recalls seeing the same bracelet on one of the men involved in the earlier killings. Alarmed, she quietly warns Johansen.
It then becomes evident to Johansen that his friends were involved in the original attack. Still unsure of their motives, he asks Brynner to pull over so they can speak in private.
Tensions rise when Brynner tells Tinelli to bring Rosa so they can get rid of her. Adam tries to stop him, reminding Brynner of their earlier decision to let Johansen walk away unharmed. Things quickly spiral out of control, and Brynner accidentally shoots Adam. In the final confrontation, Johansen manages to shoot both Tinelli and Brynner.
Final Moments of the Film
Johansen and Rosa do eventually make it past the border, but they’re soon arrested and placed in custody. Time passes, and Johansen is recognised for his actions and awarded the Medal of Honor.
During the ceremony, Rosa visits him, and there’s a quiet moment between them. Johansen invites her for coffee, hinting at the beginning of something new — perhaps the start of a deeper connection or, at the very least, a lasting friendship.
