'Street Fighter' pushes the right buttons, but doesn't do anything with them
With great attention to detail and tons of fan service, "Street Fighter" brings the cult game and the 1990s to the big screen. Now the film just needs to be good.
Don't worry: This film review is spoiler-free. I won't reveal anything more than what is already known and visible in the trailers. «Street Fighter» is now in theaters.
«Round 1 – Fight!», I don't know how often I heard that announcement in the summer of 1993, but it was definitely an unreasonable amount. It was the year we friends spent hours virtually beating each other up with «Street Fighter» for the Super Nintendo. The game brought us immense fun, exuberant victory cheers, temper tantrums including destroyed joypads, and short-lived breakups of friendships. The new «Street Fighter» film reminds me of all these things – a film that I otherwise find quite forgettable.
What it's about
The two martial artists Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken (Noah Centineo) were once like brothers, but due to a life-changing event, they haven't seen each other for years. The 1993 World Warrior Tournament, to which Chun-Li (Callina Liang) invites them both, offers an opportunity for a reunion. Ryu had won this competition six years ago, which, however, did not come without side effects. The new World Warrior Tournament has been called by the deranged dictator M. Bison (David Dastmalchian), who is pursuing his own sinister plans with it. Well then: «Round 1 – Fight!» Or something like that.
Street Fighters everywhere you look
Since the very first «Street Fighter» game in 1987, numerous other titles have been added; the latest one so far – «Street Fighter 6» – was released in 2023. The world-famous and popular fighting game has also been adapted into films: First, there is «Street Fighter» with Jean-Claude Van Damme from 1994. It's just so bad that it's bad again – which my 17-year-old self, of course, saw quite differently. Then I'd rather go with «Street Fighter II – The Animated Movie» from the same year. I can't say anything about «Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li» (2009) because I've never seen it. Which, given the highly modest ratings, will probably never change.
«Round 2 – Fight!»
Now, a new «Street Fighter» film is making it to the big screen. Responsible for this is Kitao Sakurai, who directed several episodes of «Beef» and «Twisted Metal», among others. His adaptation breathes the spirit of the games like no other live-action adaptation before it. The setting, the characters, their outfits, special moves, and backstories – it all screams «Street Fighter 2». The story, on the other hand – which, mind you, fits on a Post-it note – is based on the «Street Fighter Alpha» series.
Setting the film in 1993, the year «Street Fighter 2» caused a worldwide sensation on consoles, is a smart move by Sakurai. Not only is it teeming with references and Easter eggs to the game, but the 90s also resonate throughout. This is evidenced not only by the soundtrack and the MTV logo but also by anime-style scenes from that very era. This evokes nostalgic feelings – at least for those who experienced that decade themselves. But wallowing in memories of the «good old days» doesn't make a good film. Unfortunately, that's no different with «Street Fighter».
Source: Paramount Pictures
«You lose»
Director Sakurai takes a lot of time to flesh out the story and introduce the characters. Because the film revolves primarily around them and their relationship, the focus is on Ryu and Ken. As the story progresses, the other characters are added, some more prominently, others more casually. What they all have in common: they come close to their game counterparts. That this naturally looks comic-like and exaggerated in parts is undoubtedly a deliberate fan service. I liked it. What I don't like is how little Sakurai makes of this carefully crafted exposition.
As soon as the tournament begins, that becomes a side issue – and the film turns into a chaotic mess. And as if that were it for the plot, at times one disconnected scene follows another, so I have to wonder if I might have slept through the context (no, I didn't!). At times, I feel like I'm in a music video. That might fit the MTV of back then, but this «editing art» does the film no favors. During the showdown, there is finally some story again – only to then add an ending that I simply find an impertinence. But hey, the main thing is that a sequel is already being diligently written, as the director himself said...
Source: Paramount Pictures
The acting performances don't blow me away either. Honestly, I didn't expect that from a «Street Fighter» adaptation anyway. I like Vidyut Jamwal as Dhalsim and Akuma actor Joe Anoa'i, who wrestling fans should know better as «Roman Reigns», the best. David Dastmalchian («Prisoners», «The Suicide Squad») practices (conscious or unconscious) overacting as Bison, and with Cody Rhodes as Guile, another wrestler has one or two moments on his side. The rest act discreetly to woodenly. I am not at all convinced by Noah Centineo. Since he plays one of the main roles as Ken, that is of course fatal. But I simply don't buy anything from him.
Oh, almost forgot: Jason Momoa gets to participate a bit as CGI-Blanka. What can I say about that? Big name, not much behind it. Is Momoa working on contributing nothing real to a film as a nice gimmick («Supergirl»)? I would like to take him more seriously again, like in the series «See», for example.
Source: Paramount Pictures
«Fight»
With a film like «Street Fighter», it's primarily about fighting and less about acting, agreed. But one doesn't automatically have to exclude the other, right? The fight scenes and choreographies are successful, even if sometimes heavily edited, if not poorly cut. «Street Fighter»-style, you also get to see special moves like the Hadouken or E. Honda's «Hundred Hand Slap».
I would have liked to see more duels within the framework of the World Warrior Tournament. So that the fights don't fall short, the script shifts them to side locations. That seems successful in some cases, silly in others. It's similar with the dialogues, where the «silly» factor outweighs them. The gags rarely land, which might also be because the humor got stuck in the 90s. And I'm just not 16 anymore.
I used to spend many, many hours with «Street Fighter 2» for the Super Nintendo and was never bored. After two hours of «Street Fighter», I have more than enough of the film. A pity.
Source: Paramount Pictures
In a nutshell
"Street Fighter" can't really do it better, but it can do it longer – much longer
I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.
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