Oh, Jean-Claude…I can feel your Belgian intensity.
When I first saw the previews to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li I thought to myself: why in the name of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s sexy, sexy splits did Hollywood decide to produce another live action movie based on Street Fighter?
1994′s train wreck of a movie still induces a little bit of nausea for me. It was rightfully skewered by mainstream critics and remains a crime against humanity to fanboys like myself. (Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie is the one we cling to for snuggly warm comfort).
Let’s just put aside the complete butchering of most of the characters’ backstories: like Ryu and Ken in supporting roles as conmen, Balrog as Chun Li’s cameraman, Blanka is actually Charlie, and of course good ol’ J-CVD. Still, I suppose since time heals all wounds, so does it make horrible movies balls out AWESOME. I think enough time has passed so that Street Fighter now symbolizes what the French call Cine d’ Arte which translates roughly into me just saying a fat load of bull****. Props to the late Raul Julia though for really hamming it up as M. Bison. Just check this rather choppy clip from YouTube and relive the glory:
You know what? I think I might bravely check out the new flick. It stars Smallville’s Kristin Kreuk, so it can’t be all bad, right?
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