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Review: 'The A-Team' Grade A Entertainment
'80s Series-Turned-Movie Fast, Fun, Action-Packed
UPDATED: 3:30 pm CDT June 11, 2010
'The A-Team' (PG-13)
(out of four)You can only pity the fool who decides to skip "The A-Team," an wildly entertaining big-screen adaptation of the hit 1980s action adventure series. Backed by a great cast, breathtaking visual effects and a sharp script, almost everything goes according to plan -- and that's a huge relief considering that, as team leader John "Hannibal" Smith puts it, "Plan B is not an option."On NBC from 1983-1987, "The A-Team" followed the adventures of a group of four ex-Army Special Forces members who find work as soldiers of fortune after they are framed for a crime they didn't commit.The late George Peppard starred as Hannibal, a cigar-chomping, no-nonsense ex-military tactical expert and leader of the group; while Dirk Benedict slipped comfortably into the role of the smooth-talking con man Templeton "Faceman" Peck. Dwight Shultz starred as H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdoch, an expert certified pilot who was also certifiably insane, and rounding out the team was Mr. T, who was hot off the success of playing Clubber Lang in "Rocky III." Mr. T starred as B.A. Baracus, the muscle of the group who often barked his trademark phrase "I pity the fool."Directed by Joe Carnahan ("Smokin' Aces"), the big screen version of "The A-Team" takes the origins route, with an approach that mostly predates the premise of the television series. The setting is moved from post-Vietnam in the television series to the Iraq war era for the movie; which allows for a contemporary story and all of its technological advancements."The A-Team" kicks off in the Mexican desert, where Hannibal (Liam Neeson) happens upon Baracus (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson) after escaping from the clutches of a corrupt military official. After rescuing Face from being executed by the same military honcho, the pair secures Murdoch to pilot them out of their predicament, not realizing the flyboy's penchant for death-defying maneuvers.After the film's elaborate intro, the story picks up eight years and 80 missions later, where in Baghdad the A-Team is given a new covert mission by Hannibal's friend and mentor, General Morrison (Gerald McRaney), to recover a truckload of counterfeit cash and currency plates used by some of Saddam Hussein's surviving cronies. But just as they complete the daring operation, the rig is blown up along with Morrison, and the A-Team is framed for the crime by a vicious military contractor (Brian Bloom).Determined to clear their names, each of the A-Team members escape from prison and reunite to embark on a deadly mission to recover the plates -- that is, if they can wander through a complicated maze created by a shady CIA operative (sleazily played by Patrick Wilson) and avoid being captured by Capt. Charisa Sosa (Jessica Biel), a sharp military investigator who also happens to be one of Face's ex-girlfriends.The key to the success of "The A-Team" clearly rests with the undeniable chemistry of the cast, which is ably anchored by Neeson. Sporting a whitish mop to resemble Peppard's distinct hair-do, Neeson's rough-and-grumbly Hannibal is charismatic and commands your attention as the leader of the group. Meanwhile, Cooper's rugged good looks and charming screen persona put a perfect face on Face, while Copley, who delivered an Oscar-caliber performance in the sci-fi thriller "District 9," is brilliant in a howling turn as the Southern-fried Howling Mad Murdock.The biggest surprise of the cast is Jackson, who inevitably will suffer from comparisons to the larger-than-life persona of Mr. T. But in a role that requires just as much brains as brawn, Jackson -- a top UFC fighter -- fits the bill like a seasoned pro. And he sports a pretty mean Mohawk, to boot. The A-Team's iconic black van puts in an appearance, too, but don't look for the crew rolling along in it for the whole movie.You don't necessarily have to be a fan of the original "A-Team" to enjoy the movie (besides, the series comes off as horribly dated in comparison), but being a fan of action movies in general will help. As long as you go in with the knowledge that the movie is not trying to be anything more than an entertaining ride, you'll be thrilled with the outcome. True, the film does gets a bit unwieldy in its explosive final act, but it never once approaches the ineptitude that made summer movie fare like "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" such a big and loud clunker a year ago.Clocking in at just under two hours, "The A-Team" is driven by a snappy pace from start to finish, and the action sequences -- many of which involve flying (and not only by planes and choppers) -- are among the best put on film this year. The great thing is, as ridiculous as the scenes get at times, everybody's in on the joke. "The A-Team" is a feel-good action movie, and best of all, the door swings wide open for more big-screen missions. Let's just hope "The A-Team" gets A-nother chance -- they've definitely earned their grade this first time out.
(out of four)You can only pity the fool who decides to skip "The A-Team," an wildly entertaining big-screen adaptation of the hit 1980s action adventure series. Backed by a great cast, breathtaking visual effects and a sharp script, almost everything goes according to plan -- and that's a huge relief considering that, as team leader John "Hannibal" Smith puts it, "Plan B is not an option."On NBC from 1983-1987, "The A-Team" followed the adventures of a group of four ex-Army Special Forces members who find work as soldiers of fortune after they are framed for a crime they didn't commit.The late George Peppard starred as Hannibal, a cigar-chomping, no-nonsense ex-military tactical expert and leader of the group; while Dirk Benedict slipped comfortably into the role of the smooth-talking con man Templeton "Faceman" Peck. Dwight Shultz starred as H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdoch, an expert certified pilot who was also certifiably insane, and rounding out the team was Mr. T, who was hot off the success of playing Clubber Lang in "Rocky III." Mr. T starred as B.A. Baracus, the muscle of the group who often barked his trademark phrase "I pity the fool."Directed by Joe Carnahan ("Smokin' Aces"), the big screen version of "The A-Team" takes the origins route, with an approach that mostly predates the premise of the television series. The setting is moved from post-Vietnam in the television series to the Iraq war era for the movie; which allows for a contemporary story and all of its technological advancements."The A-Team" kicks off in the Mexican desert, where Hannibal (Liam Neeson) happens upon Baracus (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson) after escaping from the clutches of a corrupt military official. After rescuing Face from being executed by the same military honcho, the pair secures Murdoch to pilot them out of their predicament, not realizing the flyboy's penchant for death-defying maneuvers.After the film's elaborate intro, the story picks up eight years and 80 missions later, where in Baghdad the A-Team is given a new covert mission by Hannibal's friend and mentor, General Morrison (Gerald McRaney), to recover a truckload of counterfeit cash and currency plates used by some of Saddam Hussein's surviving cronies. But just as they complete the daring operation, the rig is blown up along with Morrison, and the A-Team is framed for the crime by a vicious military contractor (Brian Bloom).Determined to clear their names, each of the A-Team members escape from prison and reunite to embark on a deadly mission to recover the plates -- that is, if they can wander through a complicated maze created by a shady CIA operative (sleazily played by Patrick Wilson) and avoid being captured by Capt. Charisa Sosa (Jessica Biel), a sharp military investigator who also happens to be one of Face's ex-girlfriends.The key to the success of "The A-Team" clearly rests with the undeniable chemistry of the cast, which is ably anchored by Neeson. Sporting a whitish mop to resemble Peppard's distinct hair-do, Neeson's rough-and-grumbly Hannibal is charismatic and commands your attention as the leader of the group. Meanwhile, Cooper's rugged good looks and charming screen persona put a perfect face on Face, while Copley, who delivered an Oscar-caliber performance in the sci-fi thriller "District 9," is brilliant in a howling turn as the Southern-fried Howling Mad Murdock.The biggest surprise of the cast is Jackson, who inevitably will suffer from comparisons to the larger-than-life persona of Mr. T. But in a role that requires just as much brains as brawn, Jackson -- a top UFC fighter -- fits the bill like a seasoned pro. And he sports a pretty mean Mohawk, to boot. The A-Team's iconic black van puts in an appearance, too, but don't look for the crew rolling along in it for the whole movie.You don't necessarily have to be a fan of the original "A-Team" to enjoy the movie (besides, the series comes off as horribly dated in comparison), but being a fan of action movies in general will help. As long as you go in with the knowledge that the movie is not trying to be anything more than an entertaining ride, you'll be thrilled with the outcome. True, the film does gets a bit unwieldy in its explosive final act, but it never once approaches the ineptitude that made summer movie fare like "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" such a big and loud clunker a year ago.Clocking in at just under two hours, "The A-Team" is driven by a snappy pace from start to finish, and the action sequences -- many of which involve flying (and not only by planes and choppers) -- are among the best put on film this year. The great thing is, as ridiculous as the scenes get at times, everybody's in on the joke. "The A-Team" is a feel-good action movie, and best of all, the door swings wide open for more big-screen missions. Let's just hope "The A-Team" gets A-nother chance -- they've definitely earned their grade this first time out.Copyright 2010, Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
