By Street Fighter has finally punched its way into theaters, but the new film is stumbling over one of the most obvious lessons in fighting-game cinema. According to a new IGN analysis, the movie sidelines the one thing its source material is built around: the fighting tournament.
Street Fighter (Credits: Legendary Entertainment)
The film has its bright spots. The review praises the gorgeous 2D animation used for flashback sequences and the generous sprinkling of easter eggs and special moves pulled straight from the classic games. But as a whole, the verdict is that the film feels “too slapdash to be a fully satisfying cinematic experience” — and the biggest structural reason is that the tournament, while technically present, is not the main focus of the story.
A Mistake Mortal Kombat Already Made
Hollywood has been here before. The 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot was widely criticized for advertising a tournament it never actually delivered, spending most of its runtime on buildup and lore instead of the one-on-one fights fans came to see. The follow-up corrected course by putting the tournament front and center.
Now the new Street Fighter movie appears to be walking the same path — going out of its way to structure itself around everything except the tournament that defines the franchise. It is a strange fear for fighting-game movies to have, considering tournaments are the natural dramatic engine of the genre.
Fans Will Decide Regardless
The critical reception may not be glowing, but the movie arrived with genuine momentum. The film punched out $4 million in U.S. previews, proving that franchise fans will show up to judge for themselves regardless of reviews. With Roman Reigns as Akuma and Cody Rhodes as Guile on the call sheet, the casting alone was enough to get wrestling and fighting-game fans in seats.
Still, if the film wants to launch a lasting franchise like the games did, it may need to learn the lesson its own rivals already learned: give the people the tournament.
Also Read: New Street Fighter Movie Full Cast Guide Reveals Roman Reigns as Akuma, Cody Rhodes as Guile | Street Fighter Punches $4M in U.S. Previews You Can See Everything Earns $2M: Box Office Update
Source: IGN — read the full story there.
