Big screen version of the classic '80s, fool-pitying, TV show. The Hangover's Bradley Cooper will play Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck, Liam Neeson is Col. John 'Hannibal' Smith, District 9's Sharlto Copley is Capt. 'Howling Mad' Murdock and former mixed-martial-arts fighter Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson is B.A. Baracus.
The group of Iraq War Special Forces veterans-turned-mercenaries look to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect of them of war crimes. After escaping from a military prison, Peck, Smith and Baracus join forces with Captain Murdock, their reconnaissance pilot, as soldiers of fortune.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
Joe Carnahan’s amusing, enjoyably over-the-top adaptation of the ‘80s TV show reminds me of his previous film, Smoking Aces, in terms of wacky lunacy combined with heavy ammunition. As a stand-alone film, The A-Team won’t last in the memory – the story is a thin backdrop for some character-based comedy – but it does a good job of creating a strong sense of camaraderie between the titular team.
It’s the performances that make it work, especially Neeson (the guy is one of Hollywood’s genuine stars and don’t you forget it) and The Hangover’s Bradley Cooper, who displays some smooth comic timing. District 9’s prawn-prodder Sharlto Copley is just as lovably loony here, even though he finds his South African accent hard to shake. Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson has the right looks for B.A. Baracus, although he doesn’t get as many good one-liners as the others.
There are many nods to the TV show – B.A.’s fear of flying, Murdock with a sock puppet – some of the landscapes and locations even have an appealing on-the-cheap look, and there are plenty of choppers performing gravity-defying stunts. Carnahan’s movie doesn’t take itself seriously at all, which adds to the lightweight charm of what is essentially Charlie’s Angels with balls.
By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
Joe Carnahan directed the brilliant 'Narc' and the violently fun'Smokin' Aces' but it seems in a desperate bid to sell-out and make something for all - he's come acropper. Is this for kids? Is it for adults? Both? It just doesn't know what it is. Big and loud, frenetic and sometimes fun - this is a movie in dire need of a script. Things blow up but it's all so Michael Bay and you just don't care enough to stop looking at your watch. Think BAD BOYS 2 or TRANSFORMERS 2 or 3... And if you liked them, you may just like this. Highly forgettable but fun if you leave your brain behind to watch something else on TV while you go see this popcorn muncher... Shame. This could have been a great TV to movie experience :(
I loved this movie. Was very funny. Espicially on top of the hospital. Some people may not like it but you dont have to like everything. Great movie i enjoyed it and am happy to watch it again
It's chewing gum for the mind. Lots of explosions, some witty comments here and there. Like a nice chewing gum.. You don't have to think, you just sit back and watch the parade.
It's hard to review a movie that hangs together so badly. It one of those movies where is is hard to remember the names of the characters or what happened. The TV series was bad enough. A movie could have been silly, but fun. Instead it was just a blur of scenes put together. The sort of movie you don't bother to hit pause for if you need a toilet break halfway through it. Just let the movie continue while you are on the bowl. You won't miss anything.
Another remake by hollywood that has failed to even come close to the greatness of the original.
Bored out of my mind during this spectacle, I found my attention wandering to the subject of physics.
Brought up by a TV critic father, my sisters and I were never allowed to watch rubbish like The A-Team on telly when we were growing up.
The film seems nearly writer-free. Absolutely no time gets wasted on story, character development or logic.
An underwhelming experience. I pity the fool, as TV star Mr. T might say, who mistakes this for genuine entertainment.
The obstacle that the director Joe Carnahan and his colleagues failed to clear was finding the right self-mocking tone for a movie that was, by the looks of it, too expensive to risk real laughs.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 10th Jun 2010.
Release date: June 10th 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
