The Alluring and Delicate Eyes of James McAvoy

With no conspicuous feature, a height of 170 centimeters, small shoulders and a thin figure, James McAvoy neither has a killing smile nor a seductive look. But in Korea, he has had the unusual honor of having five of his films screened in theaters over the past year or so. The five films were “Becoming Jane”; “Starter for Ten”; “Atonement”; “Penelope”; and his latest “Wanted.” His female co-stars have been big names like Angelina Jolie, Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway and Christina Ricci. “Wanted” was released in Korea last week and topped the box office with 822,000 viewers in its first week. Female film critics Hwang Yeong-mi, Shim Yeong-seop and Park Yu-hee gave their thoughts on what makes McAvoy so attractive and brings him popularity not just in Korea, but around the world.

○ Eyes as deep and sophisticated as Liang Chaowei’s (Hwang Yeong-mi)

His eyes are deep, warm and sophisticated. They are suitable for playing characters with dramatic fates. That’s why James McAvoy is good when playing men under the sway of fate, like in “Atonement,” in which his character was drafted into war after going to prison on trumped up charges, or in “Penelope,” in which he fell in love with a woman under a curse. What is very appealing about him is his powerful image as someone challenging fate. It’s something not easily understood by a man. His eyes exude the image of a powerful yet sophisticated and fragile figure, like the Asian actor Liang Chaowei. Recommended scene: In “Atonement,” the weak and telling look on his eyes when he gazes at his ex-girlfriend before being unjustly arrested for a crime he did not commit and when he was drafted into the army.

○ A distinctive Englishman yet not a Hugh Grant (Shim Yeong-seop)

James McAvoy has a face for classics, something not easily found these days. While Hugh Grant is an Englishman with excessive sweetness and who is well adjusted to the taste of the Americans or Hollywood, McAvoy is a typical Englishman who is dark and arrogant, but at the same time unflavored and authentic. While Grant is reminiscent of cotton candy and Ewan McGregor has the charm of a maverick, McAvoy’s allure lies in his authenticity. This is why he makes women think, “That man will be totally loyal with full fidelity when he falls in love.” Another charm is that he speaks British English with a distinctive accent. He takes on a noble image with his impressing look and fashionable accent. This is what makes him suitable to star in movies set in pre-modern England, like “Atonement,” which is set in World War I, and “Becoming Jane,” the romantic story of author Jane Austen. McAvoy is a character with more mythical than realistic tints. He belongs to an endangered species of actors. Recommended Scene: When Tom Lefroy in “Becoming Jane” persuades Jane Austen to run away with him and leave behind her parents, who disapprove of him.

○ Invokes protective instincts in women (Park Yu-hee)

His small figure and sad eyes awaken motherly instincts in women when he plays a loser. James McAvoy is a man delicate and fragile but always seems to be missing something. Robbie in “Atonement” and Max in “Penelope” are characters sad to look at and have empty spots. Perfect men who have no empty spots for women to fill in can no longer appeal to women’s sentiments. Men with well-built bodies and perfect faces seem outdated. As women acquire higher status in society, they crave men for whom they can do something for and protect. In “Wanted,” McAvoy plays a white-collar worker oppressed by his female superior, and Angelina Jolie plays a protector and helps him grow up like an older sister would. Recommended Scene: When he thinks of his girlfriend who is cheating on him while being bugged by his superior at work and gets depressed.