Who cares if it's average - it's 'The A-Team'

The A-Team

The Movie Connection
By Andy McKinney 
Gazette/Connection Film Critic
         
Fans of the classic TV show will not be disappointed in the big screen return of the fabled rascally renegade Robin Hoods. 

The quartet of ex-soldiers is depicted early in their career in the film version.  The lads are Special Op troops of the highest order who are framed, disgraced, thrown out of the Army and imprisoned.  The film shows them as they attempt to salvage their reputations and resume their lives. 

The film is a wild combination of “Mission Impossible”, the James Bond films and the Marx Brothers.  It is a fast, funny, exciting ride that fans of the original TV series will enjoy.
           
Liam Neeson leads the bunch as the cigar chomping, ever cheerful boss who plans the elaborate operations.  An actor of his caliber brings a lot even to a cardboardish character.  Bradley Cooper has a prominent role as Face, the con man who can weasel himself into and out of anywhere.  The Mr. T character, B.A., is gamely played by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in a hopeless attempt to equal the original. 

The plum role has been taken with a vengeance by Sharlto Copely as Murdock.  Murdock is the pilot of the gang who happens to be certifiably insane.  Copely makes us believe it and seems to have a wonderful time while doing so.
           
Jessica Biel provides the eye candy as the sometimes girl friend of the Face character.  Watch for Gerald McRaney-star of the 80’s TV hit “Simon and Simon”-in a pivotal role as a double dealing general.
           
All in all the film is a success.  There are two episodes where director Joe Carnahan (notably director of “Smokin Aces”) lets spectacular computer generated special effects get away from him.  There is a silly skit where the band drops from an airplane into a tank, resulting eventually in the improbable destruction of a huge container ship.  But who cares?  It’s “The A-Team.”
           
“The A-Team” runs just short of two full hours.  The PG-13 rated film deserves an average three saw blades.
           
Next week we have “Jonah Hex,” the dark, western, comic based film and the third in Pixar’s wonderful “Toy Story” series.  Something for the little ones and their grams and also something for the hard core set.