A-Team (2010)

There is now a strange symbiosis between television series and movies. Hit movies often find their way to TV and in a cosmic balance of sorts your favorite classic TV has an excellent chance of becoming a big budget film. With a few notable exceptions migrating in either direction, big screen to small or vice versa, the results statistically are prone to fail. Still, for some reason the studio executives consistently give the go-ahead for one such project after another. Perhaps it is the nostalgic value of the film or series is sufficient to generate just enough return to justify matters. Besides, typically there is a lot of interest in American pop culture overseas and many of these films will do rather well when it comes to DVD and Blu-ray releases. One of the most recent attempts to break this trend is a remake of one of the television series that helped to define the eighties; ‘The A- Team’. I pity the fool that doesn’t remember this show and although we can love it when a plan comes together but this movie version of the show is unable to break with the lamentable tradition of falling short of expectations. While the flick admittedly could have been better it has to be kept in mind that the original series was the very height of tongue-in-cheek camp. It was never intended to be taken seriously as an action series. Each episode thousands of rounds of ammunition was expended yet no one was ever actually shot. In keeping with this foundation it is best to lower the expectation you normally would have for an action movie keeping in mind this is an action oriented comedy heavy on the self satire. While this flick will never be counted on any critical or box office lists it is a reasonably solid Saturday afternoon matinee popcorn flick. There is nothing wrong with a film just aspiring to be fun even if it will never be great. It’s like a meal. Although it is fantastic to sit down to a finely prepared gourmet feast such greatness is rare and does not negate your ability to kick back and enjoy a burger and fries. As films of this sort go at least this one isn’t a fast food burger; it like the one you can get at a local diner.

The flick was written and directed by Joe Carnahan who has been steadily building a career creating testosterone heavily action movies that may not have the most complex plots but deliver the gunfights and explosions. For those that can remember the ‘A-Team’ series never deviated much from that formula. His resume has movies like ‘Smokin’ Aces’ and the extremely truthfully named ‘Blood, Guts’, Bullets and Octane’ Making Carnahan has the perfect candidate to bring this particular show to the cinema. This is where I have to disagree with some of the harsh comments made about this flick; I don’t see any indication it was ever intended to be taken seriously. With these caveats noted the movie hits most of the required points necessary to faithfully poke fun at the original. The main premise is summed up with the voice over of the original series. They were an elite team in the military accused of a crime they did not commit and now, if you can find them and you are desperate you can hire the ‘A-Team’. That’s pretty much all the plot you need to know. There are some changes required to bring this story into modern times. Rather than having the A-team making their reputations as an elite combat team in Vietnam the origins are now in the guerre de jour is Iraq. The movie goes back a little further with the team pulling together in Mexico. John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam Neeson) id held captive by corrupt Mexican police officers but managers to escape. He then moves on to rescue the team. First there the ultimate con artist and lady’s man Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Bradley Cooper) , mechanical genius Bosco Albert B.A. Baracus (Quinton Jackson) and pilot extraordinaire H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley) who is a skillful in the sir as he is insane. After a highly successful military career the team is asked to taken on a highly important mission; to recover near perfect counterfeit currency plates. Face’s former lover, Captain Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel) of the Criminal investigation unit of the army tries to warn them off the mission but they accept it anyway only to be framed for the theft of the plates. Several extremely loud battles later the team is not cleared but free assuming their role as soldiers for hire.

The film does try to fill in some of the gaps or huge plot holes left by the series. The lack of killing is not due to exceptionally poor aim but to a religious stance adapted by B.A. not to take a life. Details such as this position the film as a prequel not only setting up the series but potentially allowing for a movie sequel. This thin story does demonstrate the innate acting ability of Liam Neeson. His part works only because he was able to build upon the swaggering persona created George Peppard and layer it into a believable character here. Much of this is accomplished through the quiet yet forceful screen presence that Neeson is able to project. While most of the other actors here are emulating the TV characters but Neeson does make his own mark on Hannibal. Taking a note from the original there is the gratuitous addition of a beautiful young woman. Jessica Biel does play a part that is pivotal to the story line it is certain that no man watching is going to complain about her inclusion here even though in many ways it is ancillary to the flow. When you are blowing up a lot of things you need to give the sub woofer a rest every so often and Ms Biel provides a nice relief from the action.

Includes Both the Theatrical Version and Extended Version of the Film
Audio Commentary by Joe Carnahan (Theatrical Version Only)
The A-Team Theme Mash-Up Montage

Posted 12/13/2010