The A-Team (2010) **

The A-TeamWith expectations close to zero, you will not be disappointed...
It is sad to see how a poor script and loads of CG special effects can be considered a replacement for a real story these day. The original series was appropriate for its time – with silly stories that followed a formula in which the outlawed team, good at heart, helped making right where no one else would; sort of a modern Robin Hood if you like. With its explosive harmless violence (remember the bad guys flying through the air with no one getting hurt?), Hannibal’s cigars and confident smile, TV’s original The A-Team was part of our childhood (if you are at the tail end of the baby-boomers that is) as much as Wonder Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man (which, if re-released, will need to have its title cost adjusted to our time...). Hence the problem – times have changed and the writers of this film had to try and balance expectations of past fans with a theme that will be right for our time. The result is a product that fails to either bring to life the original spirit of the team nor make compelling sense to the minimal intelligence one would expect from a story. I can understand why the producers would see reviving The A-Team into a new on-screen franchise a golden opportunity. Heck, Iron Man did it. But let’s just hope that the audience will vote with their feet in favor of keeping this one a flyby memory...