Filmikaze!

By: Joe Carnahan (director, writer), Brian Bloom , Skip Bloom (writers), Frank Lupo, Stephen J. Cannell (original television series)

Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Patrick Wilson

A group of Iraq War veterans look to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.

As a kid during the 80s, I fucking loved the A-Team. It’s been long enough that I’ve seen the series that I can’t recall many specifics about it, but I can recall the general tone of it and why, both as a kid and now as an adult, I think it’s super cool. I can confidently say that Joe Carnahan’s film reboot of the series both captures the reckless enthusiasm of the original and manages to uphold the fun action film tradition we would expect from Hannibal, Face, B.A. and Murdock.

I can’t confess to examining the film too closely; I was far too busy having a good time. The movie establishes early on that what follows will be ridiculous and over the top (In the event you aren’t familiar with the original canon), and gives the viewer leave to relax and enjoy the ride. All four of the main ensemble exuberantly embrace the legacy of their characters as well as the silliness inherent in the canon. It’s not rocket science, but oh, it’s a whole lot of fun.