Street Fighter is more than just an arcade game, and this movie shows why. Director Kitao Sakurai’s live-action version is a fun, cheesy tribute to the Street Fighter universe, but its biggest appeal is for longtime fans. The series has had a mixed history outside video games, from 1994’s Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s campy film to Street Fighter II V and an American animated show.
Street Fighter focuses on the second World Warrior Tournament, following Ryu and Ken’s personal journeys and M. Bison’s plans. Ryu’s story is the highlight, especially in the animated flashbacks about Gouken, Akuma, Ryu, and Ken, which add real drama. By contrast, Bison’s plot is so exaggerated that it doesn’t feel like it’s part of the same movie. The movie also has awkward dialogue, a few bad jokes, and sudden edits that make it jump between characters and stories without a steady flow.
The main cast stands out. Andrew Koji captures Ryu’s calm intensity, Noah Centineo is convincing as the hot-headed Ken, and Callina Liang brings confidence to Chun-Li. Roman Reigns is a strong Akuma, with the right presence and voice, and Andrew Schulz plays Dan with just the right amount of silliness. David Dastmalchian’s M. Bison doesn’t quite work, caught between a new version and trying to match Julia’s classic role. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes as Guile and Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim show promise, but they and other supporting characters don’t get much screen time. Jason Momoa’s Blanka adds some quirky fun. Zangief, E. Honda, Balrog, and Vega look the part, but they feel more like quick cameos than full characters.
Street Fighter embraces campy fan service and faithful characters, but uneven pacing, cheesy dialogue, and too few fights weaken its knockout.
For a movie called Street Fighter, there’s less fighting than you’d expect. Some tournament matches happen offscreen, so you only hear about the results instead of seeing the action. The fights that are shown are well choreographed and match each character’s style. Still, the action doesn’t have the speed or energy of Mortal Kombat II. As a result, seeing only a few signature moves makes the missing fights feel even more disappointing.
The costumes and character designs look great and stay true to the games. Composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson deliver a strong version of Guile’s Theme, but it’s disappointing that other classic Capcom songs don’t get the same treatment. Easter eggs throughout the movie give fans plenty to enjoy, but all the fan service might make newcomers feel left out.
Overall, Street Fighter is made for its fans, and that is its biggest strength. Its focus on the series’ history and lore makes it especially enjoyable for longtime followers. However, casual viewers might find the pacing, cheesy dialogue, and lack of fights to be drawbacks. It is not perfect, but for devoted fans, there is enough here to keep playing.
Rating: 3/5 atoms
Street Fighter hits theaters on October 16th.
