Review of «Street Fighter»: A classic arcade title gets a messy, maximalist reboot with a destination for cult status

Keitaro Sakurai directs a different kind of group blockbuster that makes no sense but remains entertaining.

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As video game movies get better (or at least more popular), a few early adaptations of material that used to consistently beat Hollywood have emerged. Some games tell their stories and mythos so effectively that a faithful adaptation is all you need to succeed (a category that includes everything from The Last of Us to Super Mario Galaxy). You can also find success at the other end of the spectrum: accept that the game's story is of little importance and make an original movie that captures the game's mood (see: "Resident Evil").

Kitao Sakurai's new take on Street Fighter falls somewhere in between these two extremes, and while it doesn't take full advantage of either approach, it delivers some unforgettable cinematic moments. The film stays true to the game's original storyline about Rio (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), two martial artists who grew up together and try to protect each other from their demons as adults. But the viewing experience is more like playing an arcade game, which requires nothing more of its audience than to scroll through a collection of cartoonish warrior characters and pick one to destroy. RELATED STORIES 'Bola Negra Review: A Los Javis-Era Memoir for Gay Writers A Heartbreaking Work of Stunning Genius Why an Indie Producer Won't Let His Latest Film Disappear in Distribution

A quick look at the cast is enough to simulate that feeling of flicking through the "choose your fighter" screen. You have Jason Momoa covered in green CGI muscles. 50 Cent sporting a Tyson-style boxer with a hairline more geometric than anything nature alone could produce. WWE wrestlers Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. Comedians on both sides of the political spectrum like Eric Andre and Andrew Schulz. Gay music icon Orville Pack dons Wolverine-style claws. And the presence of David Dastmalchian and Kyle Mooney for good measure. Everyone can probably find someone to love or someone to hate in that cast, and make sure no one really knows what kind of roller coaster they're in for when they buy their tickets.

And what a rollercoaster it is. By conventional storytelling standards, this take on "Street Fighter" is incoherent nonsense. However, it rarely contains an image that fails to captivate, as Sakura constantly bombards us with bright neon colors, surreal humor, classic stone needle drops, and costume and hairstyle designs that are both admirably dedicated to recreating the 2D arcade aesthetic. A cynic might describe "Street Fighter" as a movie that was always designed to be broken up into pointless clips, better suited to be consumed on reels than in theaters. A more charitable interpretation praises its massive visual swings and presents it as a false masterpiece of Expressionism. But no matter where your opinion lies on that particular spectrum, the film seemed to flop upon its initial release before being reclaimed as a cult classic over the next quarter century.

Before you start dancing about architecture, there's only so much room for a Street Fighter synopsis, but here it goes: Rio and Ken are adopted brothers who grew up together and studied under a master who always warns them to protect each other. Both dreamed of fighting in the prestigious World of Warriors tournament, which pits the best fighters from each discipline in a committee bracket to determine who is the best. Rio wins the first time, but the brothers get into a fight and start with a demon named Akuna before going their separate ways. Before the second World Warrior Tournament is unexpectedly announced six years later, it leaves Ken brotherless and undisciplined, resting on his laurels and looking for cheap deals.

At this point, we should pause and take a deep breath before diving into the confusing creative choices this film makes. is it ready Every flashback sequence is fully animated, even though everything is now live action. Most of the film focuses on a martial arts tournament of 16 fighters, but more than half of the marquee fights end in off-screen defeats before they even begin. All street fighters spend more time hanging out in the hotel bar or talking in the hallways than in the ring. Arguably the most popular wrestler in the world, Cody Rhodes never actually fights in this movie—he spends most of his time sitting around spouting vaguely homophobic slurs, like calling his foes "young man" or seductively handing someone a Budweiser with the label facing out, daring them to "shut it." And the movie is inexplicably set in 1993, even though its authoritarian backdrop, where everyone's ultimate goal is to land an endorsement deal for their own Taco Bell Gordita, feels like 2026.

That barely scratches the surface of a film filled with convoluted plots and baffling engineering jokes. But a movie's biggest sin is boring its audience, and this "Street Fighter" should be proud that it never comes close to doing that. Fans of the Street Fighter games don't spend much time thinking about overarching stories. The games are a glamorous ship to show off as you play with martial artists, each with their own unique aesthetic. And in the end, this movie delivers just that. It's a blank emotional canvas whose value is in what you make of it - but it sure looks cool.

Street Fighter, a Paramount release, opens in theaters on Friday, October 16.