The A-Team (2010)

Here is a movie based on a television series of the same name. There are four guys who form a unit: Colonel Hannibal Smith, Bosco B.A. Baracus, Lt. Faceman Peck, and Captain H.M. Murdock. Together, they are the A-Team. They are renowned for planning ahead and executing their actions at precise moments of their missions. But they are also renowned for their crazy antics in carrying out their assignments. Speaking of which, there are several  fight scenes where the laws of physics are overlooked, to the point where little strikes result in large impacts on objects.

These guys will blow your mind with their taste for danger and adventure. They are just the same in terms of never giving it a break when they are pursuing their adversary, or when the reverse occurs. Baracus loves his van so much he treats it like a woman. Does he even have a real woman to begin with? Faceman is cocky and profane: he just does not seem to be bothered by any predicament he finds himself in, because he knows that his comrades have his back. Murdock is mentally unstable, but can still fly a helicopter! I really think that none of his comrades were willing to take the chance with him flying the machine, yet he flies it anywhere. Hannibal, the leader of the gang, loves it when it all comes together. Oh by the way, let's see Faceman kiss a woman after puking and not rinsing his mouth; Hannibal shoot at Baracus' arm for no apparent reason. I'm pretty sure these guys are as smart as teenage boys who long for senseless action. And did I forget to mention Baracus has "Pity" tattooed on his left knuckles, and "Fool" on his right? I guess he was trying to pose as a Mr. T spoof, which he fails to do as he cries like a baby at the destruction of his van.

So the story revolves around stamping down on the printing of American money outside of the US. They must retrieve the plates, and apprehend the mastermind in Iraq. Apparently, the A-Team has no authority to intervene in this operation, but nonetheless partake in this adventure.

You will notice that every time Hannibal issues instructions to his comrades, it is as if he narrating the sequence of events. This gives the impression that everything goes according to his intended plan, even though there is likely to be a hitch in the scheme. Nonetheless, it all goes according to plan. Unrealistic. You know, vandalizing and stealing people's property should attract suspicion from them and result in sanctions. But no, these guys think that nothing can go wrong at all. So watch them cause immense damage to containers and vehicles on a stretch of road without getting hurt on any circumstance.

But immediately after Hannibal's favorite tagline, an explosion occurs in the container containing piles of dollar notes. Guess he spoke too soon and that line must be not so lucky. The gang find out that their rivals were present at the time of the explosion, leading up to a conclusion that they were framed. They discover that General Russell Morrison was involved in this botched operation and blown up. Each and every one of the comrades are court-marshaled and discharged dishonorably. Now they have to break out and clear their names, and finish their mission.

As usual there must be a series of comical instances during the prison escapes, notably in this one scene where mental patients were heavily convinced that a truck plowing into a wall was three-dimensional.  It is surprising that the truck was able to plow into the very exact spot at the same time as the movie projection, with no screen hanging on the wall. One would wonder if this writing is in line with reality.

By the way, this movie incorporates CGI in a few scenes, including one involving a tank being bombarded by unmanned drones, and another involving containers being inundated with over-the-top action scenes. I can never imagine a tank of immense weight being sustained by three parachutes. And do watch out for shaky camera movements accompanied by "flying the tank" in midair. This scene ends with a man throwing dynamite into a river, being killed by a tank; his wife delighting in that. Is she really that cold?

So this movie takes it time to round up on this plot. These guys have to outsmart a female character played by Jessica Biel. She shows how serious she can get when tracking a pack of troublemakers on the run from the law. She poses as a threat to the guys as she can not be talked into by any of these guys, nor can she be negotiated with. She needs more conviction to break.

I would rather sum this up as a movie where boys will be boys. If you like corny dialogue, over-the-top action, a convoluted plot and abundant humor, watch this flick. I have never watched the TV series on which this movie is based, but as a movie it has its moments.

Mortal Kombat (1995)

 

Mortal Kombat is based on the video game franchise of the same name. It was directed by Paul Anderson and was released 1995. It must be memorable for its kick-ass theme score from the games that plays at the beginning of the New Line Cinema title card and through the movie title card. Speaking of which, the movie title must be also memorable for the fiery background and the dragon emblem from the games itself. Then after that we appear in some unknown location where two figures engage in a fight. So what is this all about? Well as they fight, you have to watch the slow motion, hear almost realistic crunch sounds, and face pulls exhibited by this sorcerer.

 Well it appears it was just a nightmare. Liu Kang fells very distraught at losing his brother to Shang Sung. He has received a message and has to respond. What is with the green? Did he leave the light on all that time?

Suddenly from the quiet room to a noisy nightclub, we cut to this broad. Her name is Sonya Blade and she has a bounty on Kano's head.

Kano is responsible for killing Sonya's partner and now he is on her list. As Sonya makes her way, she exchanges gunfire with her henchmen, and I have to admit there is nothing like a hoard of dancers not disturbed by the firing. They are not deaf but do not flinch at the sound of firing.

Sonya finds that Kano has escaped and is still determined to eliminate him.
Suddenly again we cut to a different scene, and this one has to be the most comical of the three so far. This guy is called Johnny Cage and he is an actor. He is having a hard time with the media ridiculing him for being "fake", even though he himself has to put up with a ridiculous movie project comprising of amateur actors and a hysterical director. Is this the real experience actors face when they are involved in a movie that they figure has no solid direction? Maybe. So Cage finds a stranger and questions his presence. He is being enlisted into a tournament. The last two characters had a motivation for being involved, but this guy has no clear motivation for being chosen in the first place.

If you give an American a scroll which is written in Mandarin, at least translate for him before walking away from the set.

I must give credit to the special effects used on this sorcerer. It turns out that Shang Sung was disguised as that unnamed stranger. Why he chose Cage is still unexplained.
So now we are at a location called The Temple Of Light, China. Liu Kang has been summoned to star in the tournament. But his presence is not welcome for he has no clear reason for being here in the first place. His only reason is to find his brother's killer and face him. The monks, and Rayden, do not believe in him because of this and so doubt his capability.
Next scene is comical: Johnny has just arrived in Hong Kong and is greeted by a fellow competitor. He also finds Liu Kang and , get this, talks him down by treating him as a cargo man. After exchanging ludicrous words, paying Kang money, Kang drops Cage's load into the water. Very smart(!). Cage thought that everybody knows him and recognizes him as exceptional.
Okay, I am beginning to think that there is going to be a series of monochromatic scenes in this movie. First it is all green, then it is all blue. What does this really signify?
So now these three characters--Sonya, Johnny and Liu--are going to have a hard time adjusting to each other's character. Sonya is bloodthirsty for Kano; Cage is dissed by many as he is not used to it before; Liu just has some kind of vendetta on Shang. Let's hope they do not kill each other in the process.

So we have Shang's henchmen: Scorpion and Subzero. These two must be the pinnacles of this movie for their costumes and their superpowers. The CGI used here has to be captivating, so realistic that it is hard to notice any flaw. Though I think that Scorpion's hand vines are disturbing at a closer angle. As they show off in front of the trio, Rayden intervenes and scolds Shang for attempting to breach tournament rules. Liu is a doubting Thomas: earlier he dismissed Rayden as a mere beggar, until now when Rayden demonstrates his power as a god of electricity.Speaking of Rayden, does the actor Christopher Lambert really talk with a gruff tone, or is it part of Rayden's characteristic? He sounds more devilishly intimidating than godly.
So Rayden tells the trio that they have been chosen to participate in this tournament to defend the realm of earth. He explains that the evil forces have to win ten tournaments in a row: they have won nine, remaining one last tournament. They three must face off against anyone who intends to conquer the earth and defeat them in the tournament.But one question hovers above my head: why at this moment instead of earlier on? Well, Rayden has made it clear about that.
So after that scene, the trio are transported to an island. We have to watch Sonya and Cage interact with each other, and Sonya surely does not know how to take a joke but take Cage's smart-ass gestures too seriously. Then as they disembark, Cage has trouble with his luggage; he carries them but falls into the water. Does this guy know no bounds when it comes to stirring up hilarity? He must be good for a laugh. On the other hand, Sonya has trouble with the electromagnetic disruption, and when she asks Cage where they are, Cage reciprocates with sarcasm "Do I look like your travel agent(?)". Looks like Cage won't ask for aid with his luggage after his debacle earlier on. So he has to carry his burden alone.
So the group has made it to the den, and I do have to admit: this has to be an achievement of production value. the set has to be captivating and valid as far as the location is relevant. It gives everyone an impression of doom and gloom, death and despair. This tournament is one of death or life, and this set illustrates that.

Better watch out for this reptile: the CGI here must be crude unlike the previous moment. This creature is scary and induces goosebumps. Shang has summoned it to prevent the humans from interacting with Princess Kitana.
So a feast is being held but has to be interrupted for a moment of showmanship. One of the hooded fighters has to come against Subzero, and while doing so grunts and rants in a series before unleashing his ability. Pretty noisy and pointless. They could not even wait for the actual tournament before disrupting their meal.
So what do we have to anticipate next? Liu Kang thinks Princess Kitana is out to help him and his crew, but that ugly reptile wants to impede on that. And just as they continue to find Kitana, they are quickly ambushed by those hooded fighters. They theme music begins, and so does the action! But are these hoodlums affiliated to Shang Tsung?
Now, while  Liu and Sonya face off their opponent s at one venue, Johnny Cage has to face off Scorpion at a forest and then another "realm". Seriously, is this part of the tournament? I thought they were not allowed to fight outside of the designated venue. but if you like to see how Johnny fights his adversary, then this scene is justifiable. This also shows that Scorpion is no closer to a mortal than is Shang.
Similarly we watch Liu fight Subzero. Is this part of the tournament? I don't know, but I don't care. It is fun to watch the fight go on. There are several more fights after this one, but they are quickly summarized. Every other fighter is defeated in droves by Goro, and all they do is fall and roll onto the ground in defeat. However, we do manage to witness one fight without rushing it to the end, and this is slower.

So I would rather summaries this movie than continue this review. It is just one fight after another, even if it is unjustified, and nothing important happens. Johnny Cage is zany, Liu Kang is serious, Sonya is strict and stiff. 

I would like to note that in the video game, the fights are memorably violent; so violent that the certificate restricts to players at least 15 years of age. However, this movie curtails extreme violence in favor of a younger audience. One extra note to grasp is that this movie was released a year after the abysmal Street Fighter, which also was dumb down for a younger audience.
So despite the special effects, iconic theme music from the game and trademark costumes of a number of characters (Reptile, Subzero and Scorpion), we have to endure cheesy dialogue, pointless fights alongside tournament fights; loud, continuous grunts, howls, and whines; an almost non-existent plot, questionable motivations of the characters and lack of their development. This movie appeals to a younger audience who could care less for substance, while an older audience would not care about a movie with little or no comprehensive plot of the movie. 

Street Fighter (1994) vs. Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li (2009)

In the past I had expressed considerable disdain towards Street Fighter (1994), but after watching Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li (2009) I felt that the former is a masterpiece compared to the latter. There several reasons for changing my opinion, and why I would watch the former multiple times regardless. Watching Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li I would often question its faithfulness to the video games, as opposed to Street Fighter.
Several aspects must be taken into account: the writing, the casting, the characterization, the fight moves, the relations to the games, the motivations of the characters. Street Fighter was worth $35 million, Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li was worth $50 million; yet the first grossed at least $99 million worldwide while the latter only grossed $12 million. In other words, the former was a box office success and a cult classic while the latter became a bomb.

Street Fighter takes place in Thailand renamed Shadaloo (political influence). It is controlled by General M. Bison, who dons the trademark costume from the game. A gang of street fighters from around the world have gathered to topple his dreams of domination, and free the hostages he has abducted for a ransom of $20 billion. The plot is cliched and predictable, but at least several characters from the game Street Fighter II don the costumes of their video game counterparts, whether from the Champion Edition mode, Special Champion Edition mode or Hyper Edition mode. Also the cast has been chosen so that a few of them at least do physically (and nationally) resemble the characters from the game, notably Ming-Na Wen as Chun-Li (Chinese), Kylie Minogue as Cammy White (British), and Byron Mann as Ryu (Japanese). Due to the popularity of the game at the time, the special moves had to be incorporated into the movie, in line with the budget.
The only real motivation of a character to transition from the game is the murder of Chun-Li's father by Bison. Her ordeal is explained as vividly as was possible during Bison's 'private interview' with her, and that grips our attention adequately. The other characters' motivations are different and not well explained, though, due to the time frame of events unfolding. But exposition is only focused where it matters, so that it does not drive the fun out of this movie.
As I have mentioned, the special moves of the fighters' from the game would dispel any dismay instilled as a result of any loose connection. This movie has truly shown that it can compensate for any shortcoming mentioned in the past.

The special moves from the videogame in the movie:
Ryu's Fireball and Hurricane Kick
Ken's Dragon Punch
Vega's Claw Roll
Honda's Hundred Hand Slap
Guile's Flash Kick
M. Bison's Psycho Crusher
Cammy White's Neck Twist

I will not forget the writing incorporating the origins Blanka and Dhalslim. Blanka's story was substantial, but Dhalslim's was almost incomplete if not closely observed. It can be now noted that when Dhalslim was thrown into a table, the mutagen and steroids used to warp Blanka's body spilled onto his hair, skin and shoulders and since they are toxic and flammable, they could damage anything they touch. So Dhalslim's predicament was adequately explained. And the extensive makeup to give Blanka his resemblence to his counterpart (Special Champion Edition) can be said to be a breakthrough in this movie.

Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li was intended to be a reboot in place of a sequel. It was intended to be more faithful to the games unlike the previous movie, but derailed. The only connections to the game are that Balrog and Vega work for Bison, and that Bison is in charge of Shadaloo. But other than that, you can barely recognise these characters from the game as they do not sport their counterparts' costumes. In fact, we only see a small handful instead of a large ensemble of the characters from the game, leaving this movie flat and dull. I guess the writers could not accommodate them into the script without any real motivation. The worst part of this movie is Chun-Li's monologue, with a non-Asian (Oriental) actress playing her. A Chinese young girl grows up into a Latina woman and yet does not even don her counterpart's costume. (I think they took her video game counterpart's resemblance to a Caucasian too seriously.) This 'reboot' is a colossal letdown, and it hurts to watch every minute of it.
If you remember Bison from the game, you will not recognize him in this reboot: he sports a business attire instead of a dictator general's attire from the game. Even the 1994 movie stays true, with the villain donning the suit throughout the flick. I have seen fight scenes in this reboot which are so unrealistic that it would be insulting to think that they would cause any real injury. Even on an algebraically larger budget (inflation not taken into consideration), this reboot fails largely on sticking to the game. However if inflation is taken into account, the 1994 movie is more expensive than the 2009 movie; thus no expenses were spared in the former.

Street Fighter
In 1994:
Budget: $35 million
Box office intake: >$99 million

In 2014:
Budget: $55, 054, 361.92
Box office intake: $155, 725, 195.14

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
In 2009:
Budget: $50 million
Box office intake: >$12 million

In 2014:
Budget: $55, 040, 000
Box office intake: $13, 209, 178.87

So where did they go wrong? How could they botch it up? The first movie was campy but more faithful to the game at the time, but this reboot was a dreadful hit-and-miss. I would not criticize the first movie, featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia, any more than this crud, as watching it proves my point. I bet the first movie will be treated as a superior live-action adaptation of a video game to the second one (although Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie remains the overall best adaptation of the videogame). I can see why Street Fighter is regarded as Citizen Kane compared with Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.

 

Looking carefully above, the title looks just like the video game title.