After a strong start, Kitao Sakurai’s Capcom adaptation nosedives into nonsense. You could set your watch to the moment Kitao Sakurai’s “Street Fighter” stops working. It’s almost exactly at the halfway mark, when its streamlined, delightfully cartoonish saga actually reaches its central tournament, an elimination series of seven fights, of which we see maybe one and a half.
From that point on, this martial arts video game adaptation becomes disastrously scattered, between setups and payoffs at complete odds, confounding ADR, and a total lack of any actual conclusion. It’s a shame, given how enjoyable the film initially is. The movie’s masterstroke is an introduction (and several subsequent flashbacks) rendered in 2D animation, courtesy of studio Titmouse Inc.
These fiery, anime-inspired segments set the stage for the story of video game mainstays Ken (Noah Centineo) and Ryu (Andrew Koji), American and Japanese best friends who train under the stern sensei Gouken (Don Lee). Ryu was the winner of the first ever World Warrior tournament in 1987, a victory that led him to the edge of dark, all-consuming powers, courtesy of Gouken’s demonic brother Akuma (pro wrestler Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i), a figure lurking in the shadows. Upon moving into live action, “Street Fighter” takes a less serious tone, albeit a consistently funny one, via stylized MTV clips recapping Ken’s reckless stardom and Ryu’s self-imposed exile after Gouken’s demise.
Six years later, as Ken wins staged fights with the help of opportunistic manager Dan Hibiki (comedian Andrew Schultz, the film’s soulful secret weapon), and Ryu quietly runs a failing noodle stall, they’re approached by secret Interpol agent Chun-Li (Callina Liang). She invites them to a revived World Warrior tournament courtesy of her target, the fascistically-styled Lord M. Bison (David Dastmalchian), who seeks to harness a force called “Psycho Power” from its winner.
These ludicrous ideas are dramatized through appropriately silly scenes where action is the default lingua franca. It’s an approach verging on professional wrestling (fitting, for a film starring at least three pro wrestlers), wherein fisticuffs stand in for everything from negotiations to brotherly reunions. Ken is eager to win the aforementioned tournament, while Ryu is cautious about the ulterior motives for its staging, leading to a surprisingly meaningful tension between the former besties, as they check into M.
Bison’s gilded hotel and cross paths with the other fighters — friends and foes alike. This leads to even more behind-the-scenes skirmishes laced with character-centric comedy, as opposing factions align. Bison’s forces — the boxer Balrog (rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), the odorous, green-skinned lightning monster Blanka (Jason Momoa), and the suave, claw-wielding Vega (masked country musician Orville Peck) — while the de facto “good” side features American G.I.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
