When I first walked through the hallowed cinema doors I thought this flick was going to be pure cheese. I never thought I’d say this but The A-Team absolutely kicks ass, and an extra plus for the girls is that Bradley Cooper is a pure hottie.
So I was a bit sceptical of this film at first; don’t get me wrong, I grew up watching the 1980s’ TV show and enjoyed every moment, that’s the problem, you sort of get attached to childhood memories like that and don’t want Hollywood to come along and spoil it.
The genius here is that we are introduced to each character, with the director Joe Carnahan sort of toying with us, making it look as though the film is going to copy the series but then, out of blue, it turns into a much more sleek and, dare I say it, cool version of the team. We are given improbable but brilliant action scenes and plenty of laughs in all the right places. Of course there are going to be the clichéd A-Team-esque one-liners, especially from Colonel Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson ) who liked to say, “I love it when a plan comes together”, but who cares as long as the film is entertaining. Thankfully, BA Baracus (Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson ) was much more toned down in this version and was extremely likable as a result.
Four American solders, Hannibal, BA, Faceman Peck (Bradley Cooper ), and HM Murdock (Sharlto Copley ) are in Iraq when they are sent on a mission to recover plates for printing 100 dollar bills. However, after successfully completely the job their commanding officer is killed and the plates are stolen. Believing that they have been framed, the A-Team are court-martialed and sent to prison. Six months later, Hannibal is visited by a rather cagey looking CIA operative who knows who took the plates. He offers the restoration of the A-Team’s reputation if they recover the plates for him. The A-Team break out of their respective prisons in a series of daring and often hilarious stunts and they begin their next mission; however, it turns into a cat and mouse game to unveil the real culprits.
The film is just jam-packed with amazing stunts and action sequences, and what’s better is that the gags just keep on coming with Copley showing off his amazing comedy skills. Professional wrestler ‘Rampage’ Jackson was also impressive. Forget about preconceptions, just go to see this movie if you want an entertaining night.
Verdict: 4.5/5
