The A-Team

I have an affinity for Blockbusters. Good, bad, short or long, if it’s a mainstream Hollywood movie made squarely for Popcorn Entertainment, I will watch it at least once, and I’ll probably get some kind of enjoyment out of it. I think this love stems from growing up in the mid to late nineties with movies like Independence Day, Men in Black, Armageddon, The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off (the Holy Trinity of Cage trilogies). So when The A-Team came out in summer of 2010, I found it’s “This is not real life” attitude right up my alley. Thankfully, 11 years later, The A-Team proved to still be a perfectly mindless action film that I was very happy to kill two hours with on a Monday afternoon.

Spoilers for The A-Team to follow.

First and foremost let me say that I have only the vaguest of memories of the original TV show that this is based on. I know I saw some episodes when I was super young, but aside from the basic concept of four soldiers of fortune who were wrongly kicked out of the military and now help those in need, I don’t really remember much. So I don’t really know if it’s a good adaptation or not.

I also don’t really care, because this movie is a ton of fun. Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley are all having a blast. Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson does an OK job filling in for Mr.T. The former MMA and pro wrestler has the physicality down for sure, but can’t quite match the personality of the OG B.A. Baracus. And that’s fine, because again, everyone else is having so much fun you really don’t care.

The vibe of the The A-Team really reminded me of the Fast & Furious franchise, at least in terms of being absolutely preposterous. The characters and action in this flick are in no way set in any kind of recognizable reality, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From Liam Neeson highjacking a very big military plane simply with wit and presence all the way to Bradley Cooper being so ripped my TV cracked every time he was shirtless. Director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin’ Aces) keeps the jokes and action coming at a nice pace. I have to admit that overall the action is cut a lot heavier than I remember, but scenes like the tank flying sequence or a helicopter chase near the beginning of the film help make up for that.

Special mention must be made of Patrick Wilson and Jessica Biel. Wilson is simply one of my favorite actors to ever exist. The man can do it all. Sing, dance, be menacing, funny, dim and heartbreaking. Here he gets to play the bad guy and it’s clear he is relishing the experience to be a big bad in a Hollywood Blockbuster.

As for Biel, well, her character is mostly just reacting to what everyone else is doing, but that’s just how it’s written. However, she does spew off lines like “These guys specialize in the ridiculous!” and “No, they’re trying to fly that tank.” It’s not easy to say lines like that and keep a straight face, but Biel sells it!

Also, extra points for the Hamm Cam*.

So why did I buy The A-Team? I bought it because it’s a hoot. The fun that the cast is having is infectious, the action is loud and absurd, and the smile I had on my face would not go away for one single second while I was watching it. The A-Team is not a deep film, but it is an entertaining one, and for a simpleton like me, that is sometimes worth the purchase.

*= Jon Hamm cameo.