Like the 1994 movie, Sakurai’s film draws most of its inspiration from the second game release, the fan-favorite Street Fighter II, but as adaptations go, the screenplay written by Sakurai and T.J. Fixman is about as loose as it gets. Ryu, a Japanese orphan, and Ken Masters, a privileged American foul-up are brothers-from-another-mother, who trained under their master Gouken. However, it was Ryu who was chosen to compete in the World Warrior tournament. He won, but it was an ugly, brutal victory, because Ryu accidentally tapped into the dark side of his inner force.
That attracted the attention of Akuma, a powerful demon, which in turn led to tragedy. Subsequently, Ryu dropped out of the martial arts world, to protect those around him from Akuma. In his absence, Masters gains fame as a flamboyant Ric Flair-like martial arts champion. Yet, he still suffers from an inferiority complex, so he eagerly agrees to participate in the next World Warrior tourney, organized by the dictator M. Bison (Raul Julia’s final role in the 1994 film).
Unfortunately, Bison launched the contest as a ruse to lure Ryu, so he can drain off his fighting Chi. Akuma also intends to fight the winner, who he assumes will surely be Ryu. Suspecting Akuma’s interest, the champ consequently feels a responsibility to defend his title, while Masters is less than thrilled to see his old friend crash the party.
Of course, they eventually work together, alongside Chun-Li, an undercover Interpol agent, who infiltrated Bison’s organization to avenge her murdered father. Frankly, Chun-Li’s role is the least realistic aspect of Street Fighter, which is saying a lot. In real-life, Interpol is not involved in field investigations. They are a bureaucratic clearing house for international arrest warrants, which has been increasingly abused by China and Russia to harass and even unjustly arrest dissidents. In reality, Interpol would more likely side with Bison.
Beyond that, the new Street Fighter is remarkably uneven. Honestly, the first half hour is terrific. The anime prologue delivers a jolt of animated martial arts energy that favorably compares to anime franchises like Baki-Dou. The early scenes embracing the aesthetic of the 1990s are also boldly distinctive and infectiously nostalgic. However, as the film progresses, it strangely embraces the campiness of the 1994 film, which is an unexpected choice, considering that is what fans most objected to.
Not surprisingly, the attempts at physical humor often land awkwardly. On the other hand, the martial arts sequences are impressively choreographed. Andrew Koji, who starred in the Bruce Lee-inspired Warrior makes a convincing Ryu. Unfortunately, Noah Centineo’s unrestrained shtick as Masters is a major shortcoming.
Regardless, the reboot’s relentlessly manic energy is undeniably grabby, but it would have benefited from a bit more discipline, especially in terms of the comedic elements. In fact, the animated sequences always outshine the live action, which constitutes the bulk of the film. Frankly, it is hard to believe a major studio and production house, like Paramount and Legendary, produced such an oddball big-budget release. This is the kind of film that might give some viewers headaches or even seizures, but it certainly works doggedly hard to entertain. It is a messy barrage to the senses, but it deserves credit for taking risks. Weirdly recommended more for fans of the 1994 film than for those who play the games, Street Fighter (2026) opens in theaters tomorrow (10/16), including the AMC Lincoln Square in New York.
