It’s been a little over a week since the Street Fighter movie started showing in cinemas, and I wanted to take some time before I talk about my thoughts on this movie.
I walked into Street Fighter not expecting anything, and doing so was really in my favor. And I gotta tell you honestly, I had a blast!
WARNING: THIS REVIEW MAY HAVE EASTER EGG SPOILERS.
The Simple Plot Works in Its Favor
If you’re looking for something deep and philosophical here, you’re in the wrong cinema, haha! Street Fighter doesn’t really have a deep plot, and I love it for that.
It’s based on a fighting game, and story is not really one of the main reasons its fans obsess over it. So, the simple, easy-to-understand plot is the right call, I think.
Ryu and Ken get pulled back into the World Warrior Tournament, and the film spends its energy on the fights and the characters instead of pretending to be a political thriller.
The movie does not take itself too seriously, and even the conversations carry a touch of humor, no matter how “serious” things get onscreen. So even if there is no “deeper meaning of life” here, you leave the movie house feeling quite entertained.
Action, Easter Eggs, and Game References Make Street Fighter Shine
The fan service is where the Street Fighter movie really shines, and it felt well thought out instead of just sprinkled on top. You can really see where the Street Fighter fan in the production team came in and worked their magic.
The reactions in the movie house told me everything. Everyone was hyped when they saw the characters fight and move like they do in the game.
From Ryu’s Hadouken, Chun-Li’s Spinning Bird Kick, E. Honda’s Hundred Hand Slap, and, of course, Ken’s Shoryuken, it really felt like someone took a magnifying glass through the games and ported all of these details into the movie.
The nostalgia callouts were just as good. You’ll get references from the games, like E. Honda’s fight staged in a bathhouse, Ken’s car-smashing bonus stage, and Ryu’s walk into the sunset. Plus, a tribute was made in loving memory of Raul Julia’s M. Bison in the 1994 movie.
Character Portrayal Is Admittedly Not That Bad
One of the things I was worried about the most is how the Street Fighter characters would translate into the big screen. But the cast did surprisingly well.
Though I initially wasn’t into Noah Centineo being casted as Ken, he channeled a different kind of energy that fit the character in this story better than I expected.
Andrew Koji’s Ryu represented his character and the Japanese culture of honor very well. He was the more serious of the two but had his own humorous moments that landed pretty well.
I also like how their brotherhood was portrayed, and I felt that that was the deepest the plot in this movie could go. LOL. AND, I didn’t mind it one bit.
The other characters felt okay to watch, I didn’t have any complaints about Chun-Li, Guile, Dhalsim, or Blanka. They had some good moments but didn’t really stand out too much. Which is good because the movie really focused on Ken and Ryu (and their relationship LOL).
What Could Be Better
I could only think of a handful of things about the Street Fighter movie that disappointed me. But they’re actually really minor, haha!
David Dastmalchian’s M. Bison felt physically small compared to how he appears in the game. Cammy not getting more to do, and acting a little more like an obsessed psycho just gave me Harley Quinn vibes.
And some dialogue can be cringe, so if second-hand embarrassment is a problem for you, you might not enjoy this movie very much.
Street Fighter Movie – Final Thoughts
Overall, I left the theater thinking, “Oh, this is how video game movies are supposed to be made.” It’s not supposed to earn the movie critics’ praise because it’s supposed to be loved by its fandom and community. And I think it achieved just that.
I felt like someone with Street Fighter-colored glasses took the helm, wrote it like how a fan would write it, inserted everything they loved about the game, and turned it into an action-packed movie.
It really didn’t feel like they scrimped on budget as well, everything looked well-made and polished, even the cinematic effects. I also really liked the dynamic camera movement and how animation was interspersed into the movie to indicate flashbacks.
I think, if you’re a Street Fighter fan, this movie was made for you. It’s brutal, silly, and fun in all the right ways, and something I would keep in the background while I’m working just for the good vibes.
And again, if you’re looking for something deeper, this is not the right one for you. Better move on to the next round, hehe!
A solid 8/10 for me. Taking two points away because I feel like some parts are a little draggy, can be alienating if you don’t know a whole lot about Street Fighter, and the whole M. Bison and Cammy thing. But yeah, that’s it from me, until the next movie review! 🙂
Thank you to Paramount Pictures Philippines for the advanced screening invite!
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