There’s a certain trend these days of video game movies being made by genuine gamers, and it’s a welcome change following the resurgence of good movies in theaters rather than just on Netflix. Horror games have had their fair share of the spotlight, with films like Iron Lung and Exit 8 taking center stage on the indie side of things. Even Resident Evil, a substantially bigger franchise, had a decent showing. But here’s the thing: the story is one-dimensional.
What if you wanted to adapt a game with some of the most convoluted source material out there while still making a semblance of sense? Now, what if that movie was Street Fighter?
World Warriors and a fun cast!
Truth be told, I had little to no expectations going into the film. Let’s face it: the further along you get into any fighting game, especially with its ever-expanding cast of characters, the more convoluted the plot becomes.
For example, did you know there was another Muay Thai fighter in the first Street Fighter game called Adon, whom you have to beat before you get to Sagat? You wouldn’t know that unless you played the original Street Fighter or one of its various spin-offs. Does he matter in the grand scheme of things? It depends on who you ask and whose story you’re looking at.
Now, going back to the cast of characters, I’m glad they somewhat followed the plot of Street Fighter II. You get your mainstays, like our favorite Shotos Ryu and Ken, along with the origins of the Shadaloo plot involving Bison, his generals, and the Dolls. You also get the first lady of fighting games, Chun-Li! Other fan favorites, like Zangief and Guile, were there too. With a roster of characters like this, you could get a glimpse of the direction the film was going in.
Obviously, it was going to be about Ryu because what would the franchise be without the character who made the Hadouken travel farther or made the world spin with his Tatsumaki Senpukyaku? What caught me off guard, though, was how Akuma was utilized. Originally, he was a secret boss, meaning that, in theory, his story shouldn’t matter as much. But I’m glad they used him the way they did, serving not just as a MacGuffin but also as a literal character on the big screen.
Speaking of the big screen, the casting initially baffled me. Dan was played by Andrew Schulz, while Don Sauvage, a character introduced three games later in Street Fighter V, was played by Eric Andre. But you know what? It actually worked out.
Our main ensemble of Ryu and Ken was portrayed well. And, being a wrestling fan, I thought Cody Rhodes playing Guile had just the right amount of corniness and seriousness I wanted from wrestling. If you haven’t seen some of his recent promos over the years, you’ll understand why. Even Roman Reigns as Akuma was entertaining, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have my pointer finger up in the cinema, acknowledging my Tribal Chief.
Callina Liang as Chun-Li was also delightful, as you could definitely tell she put in the work. But at times, that’s also where the cracks began to show.
Learning to charge and hold back
If you’re expecting a serious film out of Street Fighter of all things, especially with this cast, you should look elsewhere. Fighting game lore is stupid, and that’s what makes it fun. The film has its serious moments, but for all the praise it gets for its visuals and energy, there’s this weird tension where it whiffs on certain moments or throws out lines just for the sake of being “cool.”
I won’t spoil the film, but imagine having a full-on tournament featuring these cool Street Fighter characters, only for the fight itself to feel like a throwaway. That matchup could’ve been cool, but fine, just tease the audience with the post-fight battle scars instead.
You even had all these projectile-throwing characters, like Dhalsim and Guile, but not once did I see a Yoga Fire or a Sonic Boom! The Hadouken is iconic enough that its omission might be understandable, but for a film filled to the brim with fan service, you’d think they’d include those moves, too. At least Guile gets a Flash Kick, and he even yells it out, which I’ll take.
You know what I wouldn’t take? Chun-Li.
Not because the actress wasn’t attractive or because she didn’t put in the work, but because it felt like she was just a walking meme. I’ll be frank: Chun-Li’s legs have always been a subject of fascination for fans and gooners alike. But making multiple jokes about them and having a full-on creeper character obsessed with her? That’s a bit too crude, and that doesn’t even include the foot jokes they threw in, too.
Crude humor works from time to time, but when it happens consistently, it ruins the execution. It doesn’t help that Chun-Li was also spouting lines that sounded like they came from an edgy kid in the mid-2010s. And I should know, because I was one.
A Street Fighter Legacy
The Street Fighter franchise has never existed solely as a video game. It has expanded into various forms of media, including movies, anime, manga, cosplay, and more. In this day and age, it’s hard to imagine anyone not knowing what Street Fighter is. From the arcades to television screens, whether through pixelated graphics or live-action performances, a franchise that’s been around for decades has certainly left its mark in more ways than one.
Easter egg upon Easter egg: the more involved you are with the franchise, the more fun you’ll have with the film. The stage callbacks, the execution of signature moves, and even Guile’s theme going with everything all contribute to this feeling that the writers and director are fans themselves. And it shows.
They even gave prominent members of the Fighting Game Community, like Justin Wong, IFC Yipes, and Maximilian Dood, some screen time and a chance to get their flowers. You don’t get this deep into the references without having a genuine interest in the franchise, and having them involved was a nice touch.
Overall, the Street Fighter reboot is a solid 7.5/10. It’s not a perfect film, and that’s saying something coming from a fan of all things campy. But between its consistent energy throughout and its faithfulness to the franchise as a whole, you’d be kidding yourself if you called it a bad film or expected it to be some kind of artistic masterpiece.
Does this warrant a rewatch? DEFINITELY! It might get tiring after a while, but when you just want a good flick to switch your brain off to, Street Fighter is one you’ve gotta line up!
It’s also funny that I watched it on a Tuesday, which is pretty fitting, all things considered.
Now, if only Tekken had a decent live-action film…