by Jesus Ibarra

What do you get when you take a 1980s campy TV show that defined that era and bring it to the big screen in 2010? You get an awesome action movie that defines this era. In this remake/reboot, The A-Team (which stands for Alpha team) is a covert team of Army Rangers consisting of Hannibal, B.A. Baracus, Face and Murdock who are framed for a crime during the Iraq War they didn’t commit. They are now out for revenge and redemption.

Hannibal is the cigar-smoking, natural-born leader who comes up with all the plans and has the famous line: “I love it when a plan comes together.” He is played amazingly by Liam Neeson and it’s a testament to the versatility of this actor who proved he can head up an action flick with Taken.

B.A. Baracus is a disgraced Army Ranger who is enlisted by Hannibal and becomes the team’s muscle. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson did really well keeping his character from becoming a stereotype and making him more real. Although known for his UFC fighting, I believe he can switch to an acting career if he ever chooses to.

left to right: Hannibal, Murdock, B.A. Baracus and Face

Face is the smooth-talking, con-artist ladies’ man. He supplies the team with everything they need for any mission. Bradley Cooper, known for his comedic roles such as The Hangover, did really well at shifting from serious to funny as he had some comedy to work with.

Finally, the insane or not really insane (you never really know) pilot Murdock who can fly anything. Sharlto Copley, of District 9 fame, proved he is an amazing actor with a lot of potential and isn’t just a one-shot movie star. He portrays Murdock’s quirks perfectly and you cannot tell he’s from South Africa.

The action and story in the movie was fast pace and exciting. I had a hard time hearing because so many things were getting blown up all at once, but that was fun. Not only that, but the chemistry between the four central characters and cast was very believable; you actually believed these guys were best friends who would and did do anything for each other. I assume the insane plans they pull off are homage to the TV series — it was before my time — but, overall, I really loved this movie and hope they make another A-Team soon. If you want to have a great time watching four best friends blow stuff up, save some people and get even, this movie is definitely for you. If not, then you’re just weird.

Now playing in a theater near you. Rated PG-13 for some language and violence.

Jesus Ibarra is 18 years old and an ongoing contributor to our Teen Talk section; with a love of all media, he’s always on the lookout for the best finds.