Joe Carnahan has been given the chance to flex his remake muscles to bring the classic 80s TV series to the big screen and, with a loyal fanbase of the cult hit, this is might be one of his biggest risks yet. So has the 'Smokin' Aces' director given the fans what they wanted, or has he totally revamped the genre and focussed on laying down the track for future sequels?
Starring:
Liam Neeson ... Col. John 'Hannibal' Smith
Bradley Cooper ... Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson ... Cpl. Bosco 'B.A' Baracus
Sharlto Copley ... Murdock
Jessica Biel ... Capt. Charisa Sosa
Patrick Wilson ... Lynch
Directed by:
Joe Carnahan
Written By:
Joe Carnahan, Brian Bloom, Skip Wood, Frank Lupo (original series creator) and Stephen J. Cannell (original series creator).
This reboot / prequel sets the scene with all of the much-loved characters of the 80s TV series, but with a modern twist. If you were worried that these actors would be creating a parody of what their predecessors did then you are in for a surprise. The original TV series didn't strike a chord with everyone, and to make a movie based on what it captured in the 80s would have been a very futile excersise.
The A-Team legend in this movie kick-starts in Mexico, with Hannibal (Neeson) trying to escape from his captors, and in his mission to find his fellow counterpart, Faceman (Cooper), he bumps into an anger-filled Baracas (Jackson). After comparing military tattoos, the trio then head off to find the best pilot in the army, the eccentric Murdoch (Copley) to help them escape Mexico altogether.
Their adventures don't end there, as they embark on a covert op to uncover and foil a money scam. With Sosa (Biel) there to stop them messing up the mission, the guys find that they have been set up. But by who? Having admitted that they didn't approach the mission 'by-the-book', they then fight to clear their names of any wrong-doing. But even this won't be an easy task, as the A-Team discover.
You couldn't have an action movie like this without the huge explosions and tough action scenes, and Carnahan doesn't disappoint. The fact that the 80s original wasn't exactly a riviting watch makes this an easy movie for people to follow, but it begs the question...is this too long at just over 2 hours? I think not.
This project needed to lay down the ground work for those who didn't know or weren't exposed to the original characters, and to be honest I loved 'getting to know' them again.
I must admit, I was a tad concerned with the casting of Brit thesp Neeson in the role of Hannibal, but he managed to pull it off and even added slightly more depth to the character. Maybe this was helped by bringing the A-Team up-to-date by making them part of the military that fought in Iraq? Possibly.
While I loved Jackson in the role of Baracas....I did miss the ole Mr T! But maybe it's time for a new generation of viewers, and they will be more than comfortable with Jackson's portrayal.
Did I hate anything about the movie? No! The trick is this.... If you didn't take the original series too seriously, then do exactly with this reboot. It's a mindless action thrill ride, so don't expect any Oscar acting accolades next year for this attempt. But as long as you know this, you will then find that can enjoy it more!
I didn't expect to enjoy this movie as much as I did, so I will give this 4 out of 5. If anything, it's for the comedy value!
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