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As anyone should know from listening to the podcast, we here at 3SMOV Radio are huge fans of the original A-Team television series. Knowing that a movie was even being attempted was a bit scary. Scarier than that was the prospect of actually putting ourselves though the feature length movie. Seeing as how my wife and I were going to the movies and our only choices were the A-Team or the “Karate” Kid, my choice had already been made.

If you were a child of the 80′s you are probably very familiar with the A-Team. It was hard not to know who they were. The television show ran for only four seasons but had a profound effect on most of the kids/adults my age. This is probably the biggest reason why I was skiddish about watching the movie. I really didn’t want it to tarnish my memories of the show and all it’s glory.

The movie basically is just one loooooooong episode from the television show. It starts just before four guys become good friends and fellow soldiers. It gives you a small glimpse into how they met and what kept them together all those years. Granted this is a more updated version of the original story. Originally they were all Vietnam vets and were accused of a “crime they didn’t commit”. This crime was robbing the bank of Hanoi, upon the orders of their CO Col. Morrison. When they return to base the war is over and Morrison is dead. Unfortunately he was the ONLY person that could clear their names. They then become “soldiers of fortune”, which is a round about way of saying mercenary. This doesn’t really fit them however considering they do all their work for people that need help, and I don’t remember them ever really getting paid.

In the movie the guys met up before the Iraq war. They then become good friends and run many many successful missions together. Their final mission before they ship out was to get back stolen $100 US Minting plates. When they complete their job, much of the same shit goes down. The difference being that they are then “hired” by the CIA to find the plates in order to clear their names.

I know its nothing more than a flashy action movie and it pretty much writes itself, but I don’t want to spoil anything for those that actually want to see it and be surprised.

If you don’t already know here is how the casting panned out.

• Liam Neeson – John “Hannibal” Smith
• Bradley Cooper – Templeton “Faceman” Peck
• Sharlto Copely – H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock
• Quinton “Rampage” Jackson – Bosco Albert B.A. “Bad Attitude” Baracus

Just as a personal note; There is a very short list of actresses that I will go see a movie just because they are in it, and Jessica Biel sits very close to the top of that list. Call me shallow but damn she is fine. She plays DCIS Captain Charissa Sosa, an old flame of Face’s I guess you could say.

From the very start of the movie the biggest thing I was afraid of was the over use of what made BA so much fun as a character… his attitude. I am happy to say that they didn’t play it up to much. They used the line “Fool!” sparingly. Aside from the fact that he had tattooed above (not on) his knuckles  ”Fool” on the left hand and “Pity” on the right, I never had an issue with Rampage playing such an iconic character. Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper nailed their representations of both Hannibal and Face, respectively. The biggest star had to be Copely playing Murdock. That guy stole the show in every scene he was in. I am amazed that they picked this guy out of who knows how many that auditioned. He pulled off Murdock beautifully, though with an English accent that I don’t remember Dwight Schultz having. Also “The Van” does make an appearance, however brief it may be, and it is EXACTLY the same as the old van. No need to mess with perfection I guess.

As I said this movie basically wrote itself. For every scene where I was guessing what was going to happen next there were ten where I could almost recite the dialog word for word. That doesn’t mean that it is poorly written or even poorly portrayed, just that it was a predictable action movie. The staples that made the show so much fun were all present as well. There were planning stages, creation stages, and the giant explosions. It’s no Michael Bay movie (thank jebus) but it definitely had a lot of great action sequences.

When the final credits rolled, it was painfully obvious to anyone that they are planning on this one making enough money to justify a sequel. Hell the updated old school opening from the show didn’t even really make a full appearance until the very end. So long as they keep the same cast and don’t keep trying to “update” the style of the show, I can get behind at least one more movie being made. However should Tim Burton get his hands on a script for this movie, count me out.