Making a good Street Fighter film should not be this difficult. Capcom’s hugely popular fighting game has all the ingredients for a big-screen spectacle: colourful characters, outrageous costumes, gravity-defying moves and fighters capable of unleashing fireballs with their bare hands. Yet, previous attempts to bring the franchise to cinemas have struggled to capture its appeal.
Director Kitao Sakurai’s 2026 adaptation seems determined to put that right. Instead of trying to make the characters and their extraordinary abilities look realistic, the film embraces the games’ exaggerated world. Neon-lit settings, flamboyant costumes, larger-than-life personalities and spectacular fighting moves take centre stage.
There is little attempt to hide the absurdity of it all, and that is precisely how a Street Fighter film should approach its source material. But while Sakurai gets the look and tone largely right, the film stumbles when it comes to storytelling.
Street Fighter, the movie, is energetic and occasionally great fun, but it is also messy, overstuffed and frustratingly short on meaningful action.
The story begins in 1987, when martial artist Ryu (Andrew Koji) defeats Sagat at the first World Warrior Tournament. His master, Gouken (Don Lee), and close friend Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) witness the victory. But the celebrations do not last long. Gouken’s mysterious death and the fallout from the tournament drive Ryu and Ken apart, sending them down very different paths.
Years later, Ryu has withdrawn from the world, living a quiet life away from the spotlight. Ken, meanwhile, has become a celebrity martial artist whose fame is beginning to fade. Their paths cross again when Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for another World Warrior Tournament, organised by the dictator M. Bison (David Dastmalchian).
Ken sees the competition as a chance to revive his career. Ryu has more personal reasons for getting involved, including fears about the fate awaiting the tournament’s eventual winner. Chun-Li, meanwhile, has her own mission: bringing down Bison.
There is plenty to work with here. The strained friendship between Ryu and Ken offers an emotional centre, while Bison’s plans give the tournament a larger purpose. Chun-Li’s undercover mission adds another layer to the story. Unfortunately, the film tries to juggle too many characters and plotlines at once, leaving little room for any of them to develop properly.
The biggest disappointment is the tournament itself. In a film based on one of the most recognisable fighting games in the world, the matches should be the main attraction. They should build rivalries, raise the stakes and give each fighter a chance to show what makes them special. Instead, several fights and eliminations happen offscreen, leaving the competition feeling strangely unimportant.
The pacing is another problem. The film jumps from conversations about friendship and betrayal to broad comedy and violent confrontations without giving the audience enough time to breathe. Ryu, in particular, gets a raw deal. Despite being one of the franchise’s central figures, he spends much of the film sidelined. Koji brings sincerity to the role, but the script rarely allows him to match the energy of his co-stars.
Centineo is a particular highlight as Ken. He plays the character as a swaggering showman whose confidence masks a growing fear that his best days are behind him. His comic timing gives Ken an appealing mix of vanity and vulnerability.
Liang brings a welcome spark to Chun-Li, balancing toughness with a sharp sense of humour. She has the presence to carry the character, even if the screenplay does not always give her enough material.
Dastmalchian is equally effective as M. Bison, bringing a chilling, almost gleeful menace to the villain. He understands the character’s theatrical nature and never seems embarrassed by the absurdity of his dialogue.
The supporting characters do not fare much better. The film introduces a long list of familiar fighters, including Guile, Dhalsim — our very own Vidyut Jammwal — Cammy, Balrog, Zangief and Vega, but most receive little more than a few moments in the spotlight.
Where the film works wonders is the nostalgia trip. Cinematographer Ken Seng uses neon lighting, saturated colours and artificial film grain to recreate the atmosphere of the 1990s. The costumes remain faithful to the games, and the film wisely avoids toning down the characters to make them more conventional.