Film Review: The A-Team

The A-Team is based on a hit TV series in the 1980's. Four American soldiers were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and were sent to prison. They collaborate on using their special skills and set on a mission to clear their name and capture the real culprit. But one by one, this team managed to escape and secretly went into hiding in Los Angeles to accomplish their mission.

The film keeps you pump up and the actions scenes are riveting! You'll miss a lot if you do just one single blink especially in fast action scenes that can make you scream and wild in your seat. Director Joe Carnahan did a marvelous job in action scenes that are too difficult to shoot. The movie also excels in Cinematography and Editing. The musical scoring was powerful and effective in making you feel the pain, tension and suspense. Stunts are very dangerous!

(I watched the original The A-Team on TV but I forgot everything about it. That was more than 20 years ago!)

I wondered what the "A" in A-Team really means. US. Special Forces calls their field units as Operational Detachment-Alphas (ODAs) or A-Teams for short. Therefore, it means Alpha-team, something special because of their skills and perhaps in rank. Real-life A-Teams and the A-Team from Hollywood both have personnel with specialized skills. Special Forces units are 12-soldier teams, and they don't generally drive around in vans or have mohawks. In reality, A-Teams are being supported by Special Forces B- and C-Teams. The B-Team provides operational support for the A-Team on the ground, and the C-Team coordinates with them.

I watched the press screening of The A-Team on June 8, 2010 at Glorietta 4, Cinema 6, courtesy of Warner Bros. (20th Century Fox). Thank you Warner Bros./ 20th Century Fox! This film is a must-see!

PG-13, Time: 1:57 hour
Release Date: June 11, 2010
Directed by: Joe Carnahan (Narc; Smokin' Aces)
Screenplay: Joe Carnahan, Brian Bloom and Skip Woods (X-Men Origins: Wolverine)
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: ATeam-movie.com

CAST:
Liam Neeson (Schindler's List; Taken) as John "Hannibal" Smith
Bradley Cooper as Templeton "Faceman" Peck
Quinton Jackson as Bosco Albert "B.A." (Bad Attitude) Varacus
Sharlto Copley as H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock
Jessica Biel (The Illusionist) as Charisa Sosa
Patrick Wilson (Watchmen) as Lynch
Brian Bloom as Brock Pike
Gerald McRaney as General Morrison
Corey Burton as Narrator

MY RATINGS: Lowest - 0.0; Highest - 5.0
Direction: 5
Story and Screenplay: 5
Production Design: 5
Lighting Design: 5
Costume Design: 5
Cinematography: 5
Editing: 5
Sound and Musical Score: 5
Performance: 5
AVERAGE RATING: 5.0