Questionable Review: The A-Team

Ah yes, the A-Team. The classic 1980s television series re-imagined as a modern blockbuster. When I say classic, I am using assumptive terms because, quite frankly, at the age of 21, I have no idea what this show used to be about. I was born in 1988 and although I do appreciate many things that were created before my birth year regularly (movies, video games, all that good stuff), the A-Team was just never on that list of things that interested me. It was in this general lack of dis-interest that I walked into the theater Friday night to watch the A-team 2010 movie. I've always had mixed feelings about these remakes; often they have either so little to do with the original source material that they could have been original properties by themselves, OR they make such a pandering outreach to those who have fond memories of their namesake that they become unenjoyable by all.

Do either of these misfortunes befall the A-Team? The answer sure surprised me.

SO WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

The A-Team revolves around one Col. Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson) and his rag tag crew of unorthodox soldiers; Face (Bradley Cooper), B.A. Baracus (Rampage Jackson), and Murdock (Sharlto Copely). Once the most respected unit in their division of the armed forces, the A-Team soon find themselves in a sticky situation as they're framed for war crimes, stripped of their ranks, and placed in separate federal prisons. Bad-asses that they are, they easily overcome this setback and set off on a path of redemption to find the men who set them up and clearing their good names with the clandestine help of the shadowy Agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson), dogged every step by Lt. Sosa (Jessica Biel). Throw in a copious amount of explosions and even more ridiculously orchestrated schemes by Hannibal and his team, and you have the A-Team in a nutshell.

SO WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Wow... just wow. What a surprise this movie was. First and foremost, the cast that makes up the movie is fantastic. The A-Team in particular have great chemistry with one another, and each unique character not only has a great personality, but most go through some sort of character growth or sub-plot, and each have their moment in the sun. The sun of BAD-ASSERY. In all seriousness, though, that is the driving force of this movie. That, and the absurdly choreographed plans that the team pulls off. Obviously, tension doesn't really come from wondering whether or not all these characters are going to make it out of a situation, rather just from the sheer stupidity of the situations themselves and the creative ways the filmmakers decided to resolve them. It's just big, dumb fun.

SO WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

The story in this movie can get a little... messy at times. Not so much messy as you're never quite sure where it's going to go. It gets very caught up in what is happening NOW, and for a movie that's all about "When a plan comes together", it seems like it doesn't always plot out its next move with a whole lot of forthrightness. Speaking of being caught up in the action, a lot of these action scenes are filmed very shaky and chaotic. I suppose that's the point, as the action is in a constant state of chaos, but it doesn't make them look any cooler, but rather just harder to see. Also, for all the really cool stuff in the movie, the climactic "plan" and action scene at the end of the movie is a little far fetched (even by this movie's standards) and not all that clever. That's a little disappointing.

ANYTHING ELSE?

For all my doubts, Rampage Jackson really wasn't terrible in this movie. I mean, he's by far the worst actor in the movie, but they gave him enough cool action scenes that it made up for it. This movie also almost causes a rip in the space/time continuum by making Bradley Cooper and Jessica Biel make out, an act I'm almost certain brings about the end of the world in the year 2012 through the power of their combined hotness.

SO WHAT'S THE FINAL VERDICT?

The A-Team is just fun. It's fun with little down side, which is a rare thing in today's day and age. There's good chemistry with the cast, and the action scenes are fantastic. Whether you're a fan of the show, or of action movies in general, you could do worse... nay... you OWE it to yourself to see this movie. It's a popcorn flick at its best, and should be experienced in a rowdy theater, on the big screen, and with every explosion pounding your ears.

It might not be high-class entertainment, but you'll be having too much fun to care. Go see it.