subject: Movie Review: The A-team [print this page] Don't you just love remakes? With so many adaptations running around I suppose it was just a matter of time before The A-Team got remade. Based of the TV series which ran from 1983- 1987 a lot of us might not have had a chance to watch it or remember it very well because we were too young. So if you did remember the series well. Dude! You are so old. The great thing about not really remembering this series is that I went to watch as an average movie goer with no expectations a fan might have. Which is a nice change.
The film stars Liam Neeson as Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith, Bradley Cooper as Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Quinton Jackson as B.A. Baracus and Sharlto Copley as H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock. Jessica Biel plays DCIS Captain Charissa Sosa and the film is directed by Joe Carnahan.
The A-Team go looking for the people that set them up. Thats the general plot. The storyline has been changed from Vietnam to Iraq but its generally the same. Now the A-Team stands for Alpha Team and just like in the TV series, are sent on a super top secret mission. Upon their return to base however they find their commanding officer who gave them the orders, murdered, and therefore they have no proof that they were acting under orders. They are then sent to a maximum security prison but of course, they escape. Which makes me worry about maximum security facilities in general.
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? Liam Neeson has pretty much played every conceivable character there is to acted as by adding Hannibal to this already long list of roles. Jedi Knight, Greek God, King of the Beasts you name it Mr Neeson has done it. So this character would hardly be a challenge for him.
Bradley Cooper is well casted for the womanizer Faceman. A lot of us will recall him from The Hangover and if the girls I hang out with are any indication of what girls in general think about him he is he is eye candy as well apparently.
The insane pilot from hell who gave Baracus his fear of flying? Whats not to love? Copley as Howling Mad Murdock is probably going to be movie goer's most favorite character. What I found out is that Copley is actually a South African producer, actor, and director who produced and directed several short films for the Cannes Film Festival. Didn't see that coming I must say.
I'm actually the most impressed with Quinton Jackson who plays Bad Attitude Baracus. Now filling the shoes of Mr-T will be a big job indeed. He starred in a few reality TV shows including The Ultimate Fighter 7 and is a trained UFC fighter. After watching the movie thats pretty scary stuff. For those who do not know what that means, Quinton is also known as Rampage Jackson, and is an American mixed martial artist. You don't ever want to get into a fight with 6 foot 1, 93 KG guy that looks like that. What impresses me however is the fact that this guy isn't actually an actor per say like the other three but he plays his part very well.
Overall it was a generally entertaining movie with a nice blend of jokes and action. Probably not the most original storyline but it has decent jokes and a lot of explosions. So don't expect too much and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this movie.
"I ain't gettin on no plane!" Sorry couldn't help myself.
