26 years after its eternal disappearance, the allure and mystique of the 1980s continues to mesmerize millions of people with the music, movies, and social change that made its foundation. In 2006 we saw the big screen release of the iconic ’80s television series “Miami Vice,” and four years later filmmaker Joe Carnahan followed suit with another staple from the decade of decadence with “The A-Team.”
What made the television series so unique was its gratuitous nature and endless explosions and fights, common in today’s world but revolutionary when it debuted in 1983. I watched the show with my older brother religiously as a little kid, captivated by the fights, the effects, and above all else, the characters.
Mimicking the TV show, “The A-Team” boasts a ridiculous amount of violence, over the top mayhem, and cartoonish fight scenes – its perfect in its role as a Man Movie but succeeds with little else.
I enjoyed the light hearted nature of the movie. Despite the body count and violence the film retains the humor and shallow emotions of the series. A placard opening the film indicates “Somewhere in Mexico” and after a brief scene we pan across the country to “Somewhere else in Mexico” which should immediately tip the viewer off not to take the movie too seriously.
The 4 characters that comprise the A-Team are what made the series so everlasting, and the movie suffers from its inability to duplicate this feature.
Liam Neeson is one of the all time greatest actors, though lately he seems more interested in cashing checks than turning in special performances. Neeson takes the role as de-facto leader of the team in Colonel Hannibal Smith. With piercing blue eyes and permanent cigar puffing, Neeson manages to pull off the role fairly well.
Likewise, heartthrob Bradley Cooper was born to play the character of First Lieutenant Templeton “Face” Peck; a smooth talking and suave ladies man who can con his way in and out of trouble at the drop of his pants. Cooper looks the part though his aloof silliness seems a bit out of place, and the on screen relationship with Hannibal comes across as awkward.
The casting fails on all fronts with the other half of the team. I don’t think any other fiction role could be as perfect for an icon like Mr. T as that of B.A. Baracus. That said, anyone shy of a Mr. T clone will come up short. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (yes that’s his name) doesn’t even get off the ground. Aside from him being black and having a mohawk, he’s a useless character that couldn’t hold one of Mr. T’s chains.
Sharlto Copley is equally disappointing as pilot extraordinaire and nut-job “Howling Mad” Murdoch. Copley portrays the groups eccentric wildcard okay, but I think the role could have been brought to much higher levels with a better known actor. I would have loved to see Owen Wilson in the role, but shockingly, they didn’t ask me for casting advice prior to filming.
Equally miscast is Jessica Biel in the role of Charissa Sosa, a high ranking military type official. While Biel is great to look at, its a bit of a reach to put her in a role of this type. Her story arc includes an overly predictable former love affair with Face, and a knack for doing things by the books despite the circumstances surrounding the situation.
The primary antagonist is a corrupt CIA agent played by Patrick Wilson. The obnoxious Agent Lynch drops lines like “We make more money in a week than you do in a year” and is aptly described by Hannibal as not being a soldier, but being an “assassin in a polo shirt.”
Another major issue I had with the film was the pacing. Rather than start the movie with the A-Team on the run as was the case in the TV series, we plod through a lengthy introduction of the team members joining forces and eventually going to trial for the infamous “crime they did not commit.” The series depicted the mighty BA as having an uncontrollable fear of flying. The movie foolishly sets up this phobia by having the former ace pilot permanently scarred after one flight with Murdoch. Its wasteful and completely unnecessary.
Once we get going, its just one series of fights, explosions, and hijinks after another as the team breaks out of prison and embarks on a confusing and sloppy mission. The characters are over the top, showing no fear of death or harm at anytime. The effects are good but unbelievable in every way. Watching “The A-Team” is like watching a live version of a comic book.
