"Because the plane exploded!"
"What plane, what, when?"
"Recently! Reapers shot it down!"
"Reapers? What reapers?"
"The same ones that are trying to kill us now!"
A group of Army Rangers, known as the A-Team can get any job done and are considered a major asset to the war. The A-Team consists of leader Colonel Hannibal Smith (Neeson) who always has a plan, smooth-talking ladies man Faceman Peck (Cooper), musclebound B.A. Baracus (Jackson), and their crazy pilot Murdock (Copely). The plan is sabotaged during one mission and they are framed for murder and stealing. They are arrested, dishonorably discharged, and imprisioned in different prisons.
A few months later, CIA agent Lynch (Wilson) helps Hannibal escape to catch the real criminals and recover the stolen U.S. Treasury plates. After breaking the rest of the team out of prison, they have to find a way to bring Pike (Bloom) to justice, while staying one step ahead of Face's ex Charissa Sosa (Biel) who originally arrested them.
Growing up, I often watched reruns of the 1980's TV show The A-Team (1983-1987). George Peppard's Hannibal always smoked a cigar and had a plan, Dirk Benedict's Face was usually suave, Mr. T's B.A. had a catchphrase "I pity the fool," and Dwight Schultz's Murdock had a slew of crazy voices and behaviors. It was a fun show... formulaic, but the chemistry between the leads was great and it was usually funny.
The filmmakers tried to capture the spirit of the show, while updating the story and adding some violence & bloodshed (the show was not heavy on action or violence). And overall they succeeded. Liam Neeson hams it up and looks like he is having a blast filling Peppard's shoes. Bradley Cooper is the best choice for Face... he is smooth, charismatic, and sarcastic (he gets some great lines) and a popular actor. Sharlto Copely steals the show as Murdock. He was an unexpected choice, a little known actor who had only appeared in a dramatic film, but throws himself into the role. You can't wait for him to be on screen to see what he will do next. UFC Champion Quinton Jackson is o.k. as B.A. He does alright with the material, especially since he is not an actor. Patrick Wilson is great as the slimy Lynch. Jessica Biel is a more of a plot device... which is good since she isn't a great actress. She makes the part work, but thankfully the character is not the main focus of the film.
Good for what it is... action with a little humor. Check out the TV show before you watch.
The A-Team (2010) 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence throughout, language and smoking.
Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Liam Neeson as Colonel Hannibal Smith
Bradley Cooper as Lieutenant "Faceman" Peck
Jessica Biel as Captain Charissa Sosa
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as Sergeant B.A. Baracus
Sharlto Copely as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock
Patrick Wilson as Lynch
Brian Bloom as Pike
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