The key facts

  • The film directed by Kitao Sakurai follows Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Chun-Li (Callina Liang) at the World Warrior tournament.
  • The actors emphasize fidelity to the game: the stunt team studied the characters' movements, and Liang trained on a 4,000-calorie diet.
  • Critics called the plot 'convoluted' and 'chaotic' but noted the fight choreography and visual style; 'Resident Evil' grossed $300 million in four weeks.

A new adaptation after the success of 'Resident Evil'

Video game fans have recently received two major film adaptations at once: first came 'Resident Evil', directed by Zach Cregger and based on the horror series, and now 'Street Fighter' is hitting screens — an adaptation of the arcade fighting game that has been around since 1987. Both franchises previously received unsuccessful game movies, but Cregger's version of 'Resident Evil', according to BBC Newsbeat, impressed both critics and audiences, giving hope that the 'curse' of adaptations could be broken.

Plot and cast

The film, directed by Kitao Sakurai, tells the story of Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) and Ryu (Andrew Koji) — long-standing icons of the series, martial artists who trained under the same teacher until their relationship soured. Chun-Li, played by Callina Liang, recruits them to take part in the World Warrior tournament organized by crime boss M. Bison. The ensemble features around 15 characters from different installments of the game, and the film is filled with references and 'Easter eggs'.

'A film by fans, for fans'

Centineo described the film as 'absurd' and 'crazy', not taking itself too seriously, and stressed that the creators grew up with the game and love its world. According to him, it was 'extremely important' to remain faithful to the series, and the stunt team studied the characters' movements in the game in detail to accurately recreate their signature moves. Liang said that for the role of Chun-Li she trained on an intense program: 'I was eating 12 eggs a day, about 4,000 calories, and training a lot.' Her motto was to 'give maximum and then more', though she notes she tried not to overdo it. Koji believes the film has 'the right approach, the right cast, the right energy', which the team felt as early as the script read-through.

Critics are not convinced

Reviewers received the film coolly. The Guardian called it 'a patchy and incoherent mess' but praised Liang as 'formidable' and highlighted her 'truly impressive' fight scenes. IGN wrote that the film starts off 'stylishly' but along the way 'increasingly loses touch with any reality, even its own'. Almost all critics criticized the 'convoluted' and 'chaotic' plot, though some praised the fight choreography and the visual component. This contrasts with 'Resident Evil', released a month earlier: it was almost unanimously approved by critics and grossed $300 million at the worldwide box office in four weeks.

The fans' view

Blogger Tayib Mahmud, who publishes film and game reviews under the account tsreeltalk, was pleased with the film: in his words, the movie is true to the spirit of the games — unrealistic costumes, different fighting styles and 'larger-than-life' characters, to which the film is fully committed. He acknowledges the weakness of the plot but praises the attention to Street Fighter's 'visual identity'. Mahmud also notes that fan communities do not always agree on what makes a good adaptation, and that 'not every film needs to please everyone': sometimes a film knows exactly who its audience is and must accept that others may hate it.

Two men, one with long blonde hair dressed in a red, sleeveless gi (martial arts uniform) and the other in a matching white garment, stand back-to-back, fists pulled back in fighting poses, as they prepare to face an unseen opponent off-camera. Both appear to be dirty and sweating, suggesting they are in the middle of an ongoing battle.Image source, Paramount Pictures
Image caption,

Noah Centineo and Andrew Koji play Ken Masters and Ryu in Street Fighter

Noah Centineo's character launches a flurry of kicks at a silver saloon car as a large crowd watches and cheers him on. The bonnet of the car is flying off in a shower of white sparks.Image source, Paramount Pictures
Image caption,

The film recreates details including Street Fighter's famous car-smashing minigame

A close up shows Callina Liang as Chun-Li, her hair tied half-up, looking sideways at an object or person of interest off-screen. The shot has a blue hue, giving it a moody, threatening feel.Image source, Paramount Pictures
Image caption,

Callina Liang's performance as Chun-Li has been well-received

A young man with a beard poses for a portrait. He's next to a window and the light from outside provides a soft, even illumination. He looks relaxed as he smiles at the viewer.Image source, Tayyib Mahmood
Image caption,

Film reviewer and Street Fighter fan Tayyib Mahmood says he enjoyed the film

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