Film Review: The A-Team

(Chopper) Duh duhduh duuhhh, duh duh duuhhhh! Duhduh duh duhhh, duhhh duhduhduh duhhhhh! Sorry, had to be done. Even though this was an eighties show, many of you in my generation will remember it being shown on Channel 4 on Sundays. It's mildly peculiar why it's taken until now to bring such an iconic franchise to the big screen, but finally here it is.

This is an origins story of how The A-Team came to be, tracking how they all became acquainted. Liam Neeson plays Army Rangers Colonel 'Hannibal' Smith (Neeson), accompanied by Lieutenant 'Face' Peck (Cooper), Captain 'Howling Mad' Murdoch (Copley) and of course one of pop-culture's most talismanic figures, Corporal 'B.A.' (Bad Attitude) Baracus (Jackson), or more commonly referred to as 'Mr. T'. Together they form an elite Special Ops team working for the US military, that is until they are framed for a crime they didn't commit and imprisoned. Busting out of jail, they must clear their names, find the stolen US mint plates and capture the mercenary who stitched them up, Pike (Bloom).

Following on from its predecessor, the plot doesn't really matter here. It is, for all intents and purposes, convoluted garbage. If you actually sat there attempting to use your brain you would merely end up frustrated at the numerous plot holes. Indeed, The A-Team has never really been about the story, rather famed for its over-the-top action sequences and cartoon violence. In that sense what you're here for is a massive spectacle, which is precisely what the film delivers. There is seldom a moment where there is not some form of action happening. This ranges from the typical set-piece explosions and chase sequences to the downright ridonkulous, including flying a tank. Yes, one of those 60-ton armoured vehicles. From 20,000 feet.

Director Joe Carnahan has faithfully tried to recapture what made The A-Team unique, the characters, which should satisfy those with nostalgic tendencies. However, there are small differences. Liam Neeson's 'Hannibal' lacks the smugness of George Peppard where Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's 'B.A' lacks much of Mr. T's charisma. Bradley Cooper's 'Face' and Sharlto Copley's Murdoch however do well at capturing the originals' ostentatiousness and lunacy respectively, whilst also managing to add their own new dimensions to the characters. It is nice to see Copley in his first major film since District 9, with one brief and amusing moment where he is allowed to showcase that South African accent we remember from the Wikus' character. As characters go however, the villains really suffer. There is no sense of an 'uber' bad guy as the narrative never allows for a strong villain character to develop. Pike is consequently relegated to no more than a guy who's there to fill the gap.

There is no doubt that 2010's rehash of The A-Team is a definite romp, but you will not enjoy it if you think too deeply about it. It is silly, like the original, but it is also chaotic and meandering with a wandering narrative. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the failure to use the original eminent theme tune. Still, even though the plot is a shambles and the villainy somewhat underwhelming, the plan, sort of, comes together. For such a mindless film it is still an enjoyable bash.