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Day 44: June 13th, 2010
The A-Team
"Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team."
That voice over was used for the show every episode. This film is the story that precursors the show, sort to speak. They are double crossed while doing a job and are sent to prison. They break out and look to clear their names. If this sounds really familiar, but you've never seen the show, it might be because a film that is almost identical to it was released earlier this year, The Losers. With almost every review, you'll most likely get comparisons to this film. I'll try to get it out of the way quickly. The A-Team is a better film, you'll have more fun with it.
I never followed the show, so I can't comment on how reliable the film is to the characters, but to me they pulled off their roles nicely. Cooper has the playboy handsome role down pat. Neeson, I am starting to like more and more. I usually find him a tad boring, but with Taken and now The A-Team, it seems he has found a calling in action films. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson plays the famous role of B.A., originally played by Mr. T. He throws out some catchphrases here and there and is used as some comedic relief. The star of the film is without a doubt Sharlto Copley. I give the producers credit for giving such a role to someone who's only had one screen credit from the year prior. Copley pulls it off, yet again. Two roles that are outstanding.
When I first saw the trailer, it had the scene in which a tank is falling through the air and Cooper gets to the gun and shoots a plane down. It was over the top and ridiculous. This film is full of moments like this, so I knew going in that I had to be in the right mindset. I tend to forgive films for being over the top if they are in on the joke themselves. Wanted would be a nice example of this. The A-Team is full of next to impossible stunts that would never work in this world of physics and gravity. We go to films to escape and be entertained, The A-Team does this.
Joe Carnahan does a good job at keeping the action intense and the pace of the film at a brisk pace. We only settle down for a minute here and there to catch our breath and advance that thing we like to call a plot. The film is predictable and by the numbers, but you can expect that. People seem to be hating on Carnahan, just like they did with Smokin' Aces. I liked both films. The A-Team isn't a critic film, it's a movie for action junkies who can appreciate unique ways of upping the ante.
Jessica Biel and Patrick Wilson show up in supporting roles. Biel is Sossa, ex-girlfriend of Cooper and on their heels wherever they go trying to catch them after breaking out of prison. She looks great and does the job that is needed. Which is to look good with Cooper. Wilson plays Lynch, a CIA guy who first gives the job to them. He helps them break out of prison and wants them to continue on with the mission. For some odd reason his role did remind me of Jason Patrick's role in The Losers. Patrick also had that weird vibe about him and both roles were a little similar, minus the lame jokes Patrick used.
Some shoddy CGI bits at the climax of the film might take you out of the experience for a moment or two, but The A-Team works as a summer movie popcorn flick. I don't know what the critics were expecting, but movie does what it is suppose to: Have good looking women, comedic bits to have the audience laughing, explosions, shootouts, car chases, foot chases and actors who look to be actually enjoying themselves. Both The A-Team and The Losers are good films, one is better than the other. So if you were choosing between the two, I'd pick The A-Team. If you've seen The Losers and thought the story was ridiculous and didn't like it, you might want to skip this one. The comparisons, again, are inevitable.
Oh yeah...I Pity The Fool.
The A-Team
"Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team."
That voice over was used for the show every episode. This film is the story that precursors the show, sort to speak. They are double crossed while doing a job and are sent to prison. They break out and look to clear their names. If this sounds really familiar, but you've never seen the show, it might be because a film that is almost identical to it was released earlier this year, The Losers. With almost every review, you'll most likely get comparisons to this film. I'll try to get it out of the way quickly. The A-Team is a better film, you'll have more fun with it.
I never followed the show, so I can't comment on how reliable the film is to the characters, but to me they pulled off their roles nicely. Cooper has the playboy handsome role down pat. Neeson, I am starting to like more and more. I usually find him a tad boring, but with Taken and now The A-Team, it seems he has found a calling in action films. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson plays the famous role of B.A., originally played by Mr. T. He throws out some catchphrases here and there and is used as some comedic relief. The star of the film is without a doubt Sharlto Copley. I give the producers credit for giving such a role to someone who's only had one screen credit from the year prior. Copley pulls it off, yet again. Two roles that are outstanding.
When I first saw the trailer, it had the scene in which a tank is falling through the air and Cooper gets to the gun and shoots a plane down. It was over the top and ridiculous. This film is full of moments like this, so I knew going in that I had to be in the right mindset. I tend to forgive films for being over the top if they are in on the joke themselves. Wanted would be a nice example of this. The A-Team is full of next to impossible stunts that would never work in this world of physics and gravity. We go to films to escape and be entertained, The A-Team does this.
Joe Carnahan does a good job at keeping the action intense and the pace of the film at a brisk pace. We only settle down for a minute here and there to catch our breath and advance that thing we like to call a plot. The film is predictable and by the numbers, but you can expect that. People seem to be hating on Carnahan, just like they did with Smokin' Aces. I liked both films. The A-Team isn't a critic film, it's a movie for action junkies who can appreciate unique ways of upping the ante.
Jessica Biel and Patrick Wilson show up in supporting roles. Biel is Sossa, ex-girlfriend of Cooper and on their heels wherever they go trying to catch them after breaking out of prison. She looks great and does the job that is needed. Which is to look good with Cooper. Wilson plays Lynch, a CIA guy who first gives the job to them. He helps them break out of prison and wants them to continue on with the mission. For some odd reason his role did remind me of Jason Patrick's role in The Losers. Patrick also had that weird vibe about him and both roles were a little similar, minus the lame jokes Patrick used.
Some shoddy CGI bits at the climax of the film might take you out of the experience for a moment or two, but The A-Team works as a summer movie popcorn flick. I don't know what the critics were expecting, but movie does what it is suppose to: Have good looking women, comedic bits to have the audience laughing, explosions, shootouts, car chases, foot chases and actors who look to be actually enjoying themselves. Both The A-Team and The Losers are good films, one is better than the other. So if you were choosing between the two, I'd pick The A-Team. If you've seen The Losers and thought the story was ridiculous and didn't like it, you might want to skip this one. The comparisons, again, are inevitable.
Oh yeah...I Pity The Fool.