Street Fighter review – nostalgia only goes so far in junky fighting game movie
There are brief, simple pleasures in the inevitable new big screen take on the classic game but like the recent Mortal Kombat movies, it’s a largely incoherent mess We just had Resident Evil, Zach Cregger’s giddy, nasty, devilishly fun spin on Capcom’s popular zombie franchise. It gave us renewed hope (after Sonic the Hedgehog, The Last of Us and Fallout) that video game adaptations could be good, actually. But now…
Key points
- Street Fighter is a new film adaptation of the classic fighting game, now in Australian cinemas and out in the UK and US on 16 October.
- The movie is a garish and incoherent mess that barely improves on the recent Mortal Kombat movies.
- Despite likable performances, the film relies on nostalgia and feels like it was made on a six-button control pad.
The new big-screen adaptation of Street Fighter is a garish and incoherent mess that amuses only in fits and starts, according to a review. It stars Andrew Koji and Noah Centineo and follows a tournament-style narrative where the villain M Bison organizes a world championship for nefarious purposes.
The film crushes hopes that video game adaptations could be good, the review says, comparing it unfavorably to the recent Mortal Kombat movies. It is out in Australian cinemas now and in the UK and US on 16 October.
What the film offers
The movie exhaustively rolls out iconic characters and moves from the games, such as E Honda's hundred-hand slap and Guile's flash kick. It also includes striking anime flashback sequences and pop culture ephemera from its early-90s setting, with MTV video segments and needle drops like MC Hammer's 2 Legit 2 Quit.
Callina Liang plays Chun-Li with commanding presence and impressive physicality, though she is tasked with a gratuitous slow-motion shower scene. Other cast members like Cody Rhodes as Guile and Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim bring modest pleasures to the overcrowded mess.
a garish and incoherent mess that amuses in fits and starts
— The Guardian review
Critical assessment
The review states that the likable performances get buried in a movie that often feels like it was made on a six-button control pad. It describes the film as a barrage of character introductions and story arcs that collide confusingly, making a linear plot hard to follow.
The most amusing fight arrives early, with Ken and Ryu reuniting in a hotel room for a world championship tournament. The review notes that the movie relies on nostalgia and knowing winks at fans, but never rises above the silliness it mocks.
