I Watch Films: Street Fighter (1994)

 

Street Fighter (1994)

In south east Asia General M Bison of Shadoloo has seized a large number of aid workers. He demands $20 billion in ransom in three days time. Colonel William Guile of the Allied Nations refuses to pay, instead intending to capture Bison and release the hostages. However they can’t pinpoint Bison’s location; Bison has also captured Blanka, one of the A N forces soldiers, and experiments on him to make an ultimate fighting machine.

Also in town are Ryu Hoshi and Ken Masters, who are trying to swindle local drug gangs with a dodgy weapons deal. Ryu has to fight the local champion Vega in a cage fight. They’re then busted by Guile and his forces. Guile offers them a deal; they’re given a homing device and allowed to break out with the gangsters, faking Guile’s death and then escaping to Bison. Also involved are a news crew of Chun-Li, ex-sumo Honda and ex-boxer Balrog.

This is based on a fighting game, a faithful adaption in that the story is an excuse for as many brawls as possible. Raúl Juliá is delightfully unhinged as M Bison, Jean-Claude Van Damme plays Guile straight, possibly too straight – he hardly displays any incredulity at Bison’s antics. Perhaps sadly the occasional spark of weird inventiveness in the story is ignored in favour of the next fight – most of which are not especially inspired.

Watch This: Curiosity of a video game adaption with a few good stunts and a fun villain
Don’t Watch This: People hang about plotting, occasionally get into a fight