The iconic, best-selling video game Street Fighter comes to the big screen, again, in this fitfully entertaining, but largely tedious, adaptation.
Created in league with Capcom, the video game giant behind the Street Fighter franchise, this latest iteration at least has the advantage of coming after the abysmal 1994 film, featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kyle Minogue, and various animated films that made little dent on the cultural conversation. Surely, the Japanese-born American filmmaker Kitao Sakurai (2021’s Bad Trip) hasn’t got far to go to eclipse those.
Beginning with some excellent anime (which returns at various interludes to flesh out backstory), the early signs are promising. Set in 1993, it’s six years on from the first World Warrior Tournament. Reigning champion Ryu (Bullet Train’s Andrew Koji) has disappeared, now eking out a living running a noodle stall. Meanwhile, his good friend and training partner Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), is making the most of his minor notoriety, with a penchant for self-promotion that sees him starring in commercials (including for Duracell Batteries).
View Green Video on the source websiteKen is soon paid a visit by Chun-Li (Callina Liang), who is recruiting the best fighters in the world for a second World Warrior Tournament. Bankrolling it is Bison (David Dastmalchian, hamming it up gloriously), a fascistic overlord who dresses in maroon military attire and is secretly plotting to harness the super-energy of these fighters to power-up himself. Reluctantly, Ryu turns up in Metrolao City, at Bison’s Golden Bullion Hotel, where the tournament is being held, to persuade Ken – who is not the slickest fighter out there – that it’ll be too dangerous for him to participate.
There are further twists involving the vengeful Chun-Li and a deeply uninteresting side-plot that sees Ryu and the deity Akuma (WWE wrestler Joe ‘Roman Reigns’ Anoa’i), an enemy from the past, come to blows. Indeed, the major issue with this Street Fighter is when the fighting actually starts. However much Sakurai tries, watching various characters hit seven shades out of each other in an arena – as the game itself demands – isn’t that interesting, even when crafty CG animation ably shows off their special powers.
True, it isn’t simply one battle after another – but the film flops the more the plot takes itself too seriously. Much better are the earlier scenes with the rogue’s gallery of fan-favourite characters. Among them: Guile (Cody Rhodes), the blonde flattop-sporting dumbbell; brutal boxer Balgrog (Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson); the green-hued monster Blanka (Jason Momoa), who has been fooled by Bison into thinking he can help locate his missing mother; and Vega (Orville Peck), the masked maniac with a Wolverine-like claw. And, yes, the doll-like Cammy (Mel Jarnson), played by Minogue in the earlier film, also makes an appearance.
The banter between these various foes is fun, especially with the addition of Eric André – whom Sakuri directed in many episodes of the comedian’s self-titled TV show – as Dom Sauvage, the master of ceremonies and presenter of 'Combat News'. With Black Adam star Centineo enjoying acting the fool, there’s some nice visual gags too, especially when a naked Chun-Li walks into a shower. When the steam clears, the film subtly cuts to a Turkish bath, with a sumo wrestler’s sizeable breasts on show.
While the nods to the game are plentiful and playful, the plot becomes increasingly tiresome as it drags on, with the excessive two-hour running time ensuring that it feels like you’re the one getting pounded in the ring. Even Dastmalchian’s snarling turn gets a little yawn-worthy, while the emotional payoff between Ryu and Ken simply isn’t there. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, given the source is a beat'em-up video game, but unlike the recent Minecraft, for example, Street Fighter fritters away its camp potential.
Street Fighter is in cinemas from 16 October.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.