The A-Team (12A)

Film image

The ViewLeeds Review

StarStarNo StarNo StarNo Star
Review byMatthew Turner30/07/2010

Two out of Five stars
Running time: 117 mins

The performances are mostly fine and The A-Team doesn't skimp on the action and explosions but it's let down by a disappointing script, dodgy dialogue, poor CGI effects, panicky editing and a subplot that's both morally reprehensible and entirely out of place.

What's it all about?
Directed by Joe Carnahan, The A-Team is based on the popular 1980s TV show and begins with plan enthusiast John 'Hannibal' Smith (Liam Neeson) rescuing handsome charm-peddler and fellow US Ranger Templeton 'Face' Peck (Bradley Cooper) from an evil Mexican. Along the way he enlists the help of hard-driving tough guy B. A. Baracus (Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson) and bonkers chopper pilot H. M. 'Howling Mad' Murdock (District 9's Sharlto Copley).

Eight years later, the four men are an elite military team with 80 successful missions to their credit, but when a double-cross lands them in jail for a crime they didn't commit, they break out and attempt to prove their innocence by retrieving some stolen US Mint plates. At the same time, they have to stay one step ahead of both shady CIA operative Lynch (Patrick Wilson) and military officer Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel), who just happens to be Face's ex-girlfriend.

The Good
Neeson is clearly enjoying himself as the cigar-chomping Smith, while Cooper's perfectly cast as Face and Copley is good as Murdock, even if he doesn't seem all that insane in this crowd. There's also strong support from Wilson (who pretty much steals the show) and Biel, though martial arts-fighter-turned-actor Jackson is all kinds of wrong for B. A. and his high, squeaky voice is very off-putting.

To be fair, the film does deliver some decent set-pieces, most notably a physics-defying escapade in a tank that's plummeting to the ground. However, the dodgy CGI and the choppy, panicky editing frequently undermine the action, particularly during the effects-heavy finale.

The Bad
The dialogue, when you can hear it, is atrocious, but the film's biggest problem is a morally reprehensible sub-plot in which B. A. learns to kill again (with the help of Gandhi quotes no less), which is completely out of place, particularly for a film based on a show that famously never killed anyone. Speaking of which, die-hard fans might want to stay for a cameo-heavy post-credits sting, though you'll probably wish you hadn't.

Worth seeing?
Despite some decent performances and the occasional set-piece, The A-Team is a noisy, charmless mess that, ironically, never quite comes together.
The A-Team London Premiere

Film Trailer

The A-Team (12A)
Be the first to review The A-Team...
image
01 Focus (15)

Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro

image
02 Selma (12A)

David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth

image
03 Far from the Madding Crowd (tbc)

Carey Mulligan, Tom Sturridge, Matthias Schoenaert...

image
04 Chappie (tbc)

Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Sharlto Copley

image
05 A Most Violent Year (15)

Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo

Content updated: 29/10/2015 03:52

Latest Film Reviews

Film Blog

Urban Pundit

Keep up to date with everything in film and cinema at Urban Pundit, the exciting new blog.

Film of the Week

The Conjuring (15)

Hugely enjoyable, genuinely scary horror flick that provides a welcome throwback to classic 1970s chillers, thanks to impeccable production design, a superb script, powerfully atmospheric direction, intense set-pieces and terrific performances.

Latest Close Up

Noah Baumbach Interview

The Frances Ha director discusses co-writing the script with Greta Gerwig, shooting against the backdrop of New York and the real lives of the city’s people, Greta Gerwig’s performance, the music in the film and the picture's visual style.