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List Price: $29.98 | | Label: Twentieth Century Fox
Salesrank: 10275
Released: June 30, 2009 |
| Our Price: $4.97 |
| Used Price: $2.10 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
POWERFUL FORCES ARE CONVERGING ON THE STREETS OF BANGKOK. THEY ARE WARRIORS, SOME OF WHOM POSSESS EXTRAORDINARY ABILITIES, ALL OF WHOM ARE DETERMINED TO SEE THEIR SIDE PREVAIL.
Description of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li:
The origin story of the characters from Capcom’s popular Street Fighter video game is detailed in The Legend of Chun-Li, a live-action martial arts thriller from Doom helmer Andrzej Bartkowiak. Smallville’s Kristin Kreuk gives a spirited turn in the title role, a concert pianist turned global crime fighter who cracks her share of heads while in pursuit of the mobsters who have kidnapped her father. Neal McDonough and Michael Clarke Duncan glower effectively as Bison, the nefarious mastermind behind the abduction, and his henchman, Balrog, respectively. The film’s offbeat cast, which includes Chris Klein and Moon Bloodgood as detectives, Black Eyed Peas singer Taboo as the claw-wielding Vega, and Hong Kong stars Pei-pei Cheng, Josie Ho and Edmund Chen in supporting roles, is the most inspired element of the film, which relies too often on well-worn action and kung fu movie clichés to fill out moments between fight sequences; the film’s target audience--fans of the game--may find this less engaging than younger, less discerning moviegoers with a yen for any flavor of punch-up. --Paul Gaita
Stills from Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (Click for larger image)
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li Reviews:
Not as bad as someone fears 
2009-11-22 - After seeing both original Street Fighter movie and this one, this movie has a lot more back story than the previous version, the script was much better written and much more realistic. The only blemish that I could notice is the miscasting of Nash and Chun-Li (even though there are some limits on Chun-Li's casting as the issue of finding a suitable Asian actress to play that role was quite limited). As for casting of Gen, Balrog, and Bison, as far as I'm concerned, they were more spot on. I actually enjoy this movie more than the "atrosity" from the first movie (although the only people should be faulted are the writers). The fight scenes are as good as the original, if not better. Overall, while it's not perfect, the movie has much more teeth.
Dull, Uninspired Martial Arts Film... 
2009-11-17 - Unlike many of the reviewers here, I am not a video game player, but I do enjoy martial arts-themed films, so I thought I might enjoy "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li" without the potential disappointment of an unsuccessful game adaptation. Well, I discovered you don't have to be a player to be unhappy with this film! As an action film, it lacks momentum, and the martial arts tradition of ever-increasing virtuosity in battle as the stakes are raised. As drama, it often seems little more than a poor imitation of Bruce Wayne's karmic quest from "Batman Begins". As a star vehicle for "Smallville's" Kristin Kreuk, it showcases her exotic Dutch/Chinese features beautifully, but also reveals a lack of screen charisma, that magnetic quality that captures your attention over all others whenever she is onscreen. Ziyi Zhang has that quality, and I found myself wishing she'd played the lead (although, in this movie, it may not have helped!)
The supporting cast doesn't offer much in support, from Neal McDonough (usually quite good), who displays an Irish(?) accent that comes and goes throughout the film, to Michael Clarke Duncan, whose performance seems to consist of flexing his biceps and looking crazy/happy, or crazy/angry. The most painful performance, however, comes from Chris Klein, offering a 'drama school dropout' interpretation of a macho hero...he is simply awful! The lone decent performance comes from Robin Shou, as Gen, who lacks much of a mystical quality, but at least seems to 'fit' in this kind of film.
I'd recommend renting "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li", rather than buying it...save your money!
Good movie 
2009-11-16 - The movie was entertaining and i love Kristin Kreuk. I thought it was bad because of all the reviews i read in here but its not. I really i enjoyed watching.
KO'ed 
2009-10-27 - Capcom's second attempt at a movie based on their classic gaming franchise, "The Legend of Chun Li" star's Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) as the titular character, who challenges the nefarious M. Bison (Neal McDonough). And that's pretty much the one thing director Andrzej Bartkowiak gets right.
The mismatched cast play their stereotypical action movie roles to their hilt, the script has more holes than Bonnie and Clyde's car, and the movie crew simply didn't consider the ramifications of taking a video game story this seriously. The first SF film was silly and over the top, but that's where you found a hint of charm. What does this entry offer? Pretty locales, a so-so fight choreography, the mandatory movie explosion, and Chun Li seductively dancing with another woman. OK, that's two things Bartkowiak gets right.^_^
This film is PG-13: Violence, Adult Language, Adult Situations.
Good Action Scenes 
2009-10-11 - Not as good as I had hoped it would be, but good action movie.
