Coming to theaters on October 16th, ‘Street Fighter’ follows estranged street fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Cenineo) as they get thrown into the next World Warrior Tournament. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, it is an adaptation of the beloved video game franchise. Related Article: David Dastmalchian to Be Villainous M. Bison in New ‘Street Fighter’ Initial Thoughts The trailers for ‘Street Fighter’ seemed to perfectly capture the cheesy 1990s vibe that fans were all hoping for, but…
Coming to theaters on October 16th, ‘Street Fighter’ follows estranged street fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Cenineo) as they get thrown into the next World Warrior Tournament. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, it is an adaptation of the beloved video game franchise. Related Article: David Dastmalchian to Be Villainous M. Bison in New ‘Street Fighter’ Initial Thoughts The trailers for ‘Street Fighter’ seemed to perfectly capture the cheesy 1990s vibe that fans were all hoping for, but… ‘Street Fighter’ opens in theaters on October 16th.
Coming to theaters on October 16th, ‘Street Fighter‘ follows estranged street fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Cenineo) as they get thrown into the next World Warrior Tournament. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, it is an adaptation of the beloved video game franchise.
Related Article: David Dastmalchian to Be Villainous M. Bison in New ‘Street Fighter’
Initial Thoughts
(L to R) Noah Centineo, and Andrew Koji star in ‘Street Fighter’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The trailers for ‘Street Fighter’ seemed to perfectly capture the cheesy 1990s vibe that fans were all hoping for, but in the full movie, this is something they failed to continue to do. Video game movie adaptations are difficult enough, but when it is something as beloved as this, you need more than countless Easter Eggs and references to pull it off.
The cast all looks incredible, each one perfectly resembling their video game counterparts, but was that enough to make the movie worth watching? Not really.
Story and Direction
Director Kitao Sakurai on the set of ‘Street Fighter’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
One of the biggest issues with ‘Street Fighter’ is that it feels like half of a movie. While there is some resolution, the biggest threat of the film is not dealt with at all, leaving things open for a sequel. One of the most annoying things a plot can do is end with a cliffhanger that requires another movie to make the story complete, and ‘Street Fighter’ falls into that trap. Will there be another one? Probably. But that doesn’t make it okay.
Another major issue with this movie is the writing. It gives us those cheesy moments from the trailer, but at the same time, tries to lean heavily into some seriousness, ultimately making the two combat each other. The overall story is one of brotherhood and friendship, and having to overcome threats together, despite your differences. But putting that in the mix with bad dialogue and jokes that almost never land does not do this film any justice.
As for the action sequences, for a movie called ‘Street Fighter’, there should have been a lot more fights. Still, the ones that we did get deliver thanks to the characters’ signature moves and great cinematography choices. But when you have Cody Rhodes in the cast, fans want to see him fight, so to completely skip over his time in the ring was a bizarre choice.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Andrew Shulz, Callina Liang, Andrew Koji and Noah Centineo star in ‘Street Fighter’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
This movie boasts an incredible cast. There is no doubt that these actors did exactly what they were told to do. But there is only so much you can do with a script like this one. Most the comedy is unfunny, but that is not their fault. They all fully commit to the bit, especially David Dastmalchian, who plays M. Bison, and Eric Andre, who plays Don Sauvage.
Andrew Koji and Noah Cenineo bring the heart to the story, which unfortunately ends up feeling out of place. Still, you cannot blame the actors for this, as they clearly did exactly what they were told to do. Callina Liang is great as Chun-Li as well. Probably the only character that truly felt out of place was Jason Momoa‘s Blanka. Again, not the fault of the actor, but he has the worst dialogue of them all and as mostly CG, he feels completely out of place.
Final Thoughts
Eric André stars in ‘Street Fighter’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
‘Street Fighter’ is not all bad, though. It does land some of its punches, especially when it comes to the 2D animation portions. These are how the flashbacks are shown, which is a brilliant choice. The animation is so gorgeous that some might wish the entire movie was done this way.
The look and overall vibe of the movie captures that of the games and there are plenty of Easter Eggs, one-liners, and references to keep fans entertained. Unfortunately the script leaves a lot to be desired, never fully committing to one side or the other, making it quite messy.
‘Street Fighter’ receives a score of 40 out of 100.
‘Street Fighter’ opens in theaters on October 16th.
What is the plot of ‘Street Fighter’?
In 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu and Ken Masters are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER!
Who is in the cast of ‘Street Fighter’?
Andrew Koji as Ryu
Noah Cenineo as Ken Masters
Callina Liang as Chun-Li
Joe Anoa’i as Akuma
David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
Cody Rhodes as Guile
Eric Andre as Don Sauvage
Mel Jamson as Cammy
Orville Peck as Vega
Olivier Richters as Zangief
Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki
Jason Momoa as Blanka
(L to R) Noah Centineo, and David Dastmalchian star in ‘Street Fighter’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
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