The A-Team is the latest in the many recently announced Hollywood remakes. Its sole purpose is to entertain and make the production company oodles of money to roll around in while they listen to a recording of themselves laughing. (The life sounds good huh?)
If you weren't aware of the backstory of the A-Team you literally might live in Antarctica. The amount of references in movies and tv shows is astounding, but just in case here it is. The A-Team is a group of four specialized badasses who, after completing several thousand high profile missions for the United States, are framed for a crime they didnt commit. They quickly bust of of jail and serve as guns for hire, but only if you can find them, and after that only if you can afford them. Which makes the government pretty stupid since lots of citizens did find them and paid for their services, but the United States could never track them down and re-arrest them, idiots.
Anyways, the remake follows that basic premise except that before they become guns for hire, they have to figure out a way to clear their names. The original TV show was about Vietnam vets, but the remake places them in the latest Desert Storm, framed for killing General Morrison. Which they quite obviously didn't, and the guys who did do it very obviously ran from the scene. Again, the US government and military makes themselves look like fools and blame the A-Team. Plot structure is not this films strong points.
What it lacks in a story it makes up with plenty of action and some great actors. Liam Neeson takes on the role of Hannibal, the boss of the outfit and the guy with the plan. Bradley Cooper plays Faceman, the sweet talker, lady wooer. Sharlto Copley plays the crazed pilot Murdock, the kind of guy who grabs onto a helicopter blade and sings "you spin my head right round right round." And, Quinton Jackson plays the role of B.A. Baracus filling the very large shoes left behind by Mr. T.
Quinton Jackson is a UFC fighter and has acted in exactly zero movies before this, jumping into a role that is most recognized abover all the others. He looks and feels like an action vet. I honestly thought I would be tired of the words "pity" and "fool" but no matter how many times he said it, I never grew tired of it. Sharlto Copley is equally amazing considering his one and only other film was the lead in District 9. His career is coming along quite nicely.
The A-Team is covered in so much testosterone and manliness that its hard to handle. Flips in a helicopter, more explosions than a fireworks show, and bullets ripping across every surface possible. Plus, they fly a tank, A TANK for god's sake. If my action figures had ever been as cool as this, I might have died of exhaustion.
The A-Team adds nothing in terms of social commentary or plot, but it is an exploding barrel of fun that is amusing and enjoyable.
2 and a half out of 4 stars
-Christopher O'Connell
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