Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist (Blu-ray) – Movie Review
Follow Genre: Action, Adventure
Distributor: Splendid Film

Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist (Blu-ray) – Movie Review

Site Score
9.5
Good: Action scenes, Story, Characters, Music, ...
Bad: Nothing worth mentioning
User Score
10.0
(1 votes)
Click to vote
VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)

Roughly 18 years ago the first Street Fighter movie hit the theatres and even with the bad reviews it ended up being some sort of a cult classic. Another street fighter movie was released five years ago and it was as quickly forgotten as the time it was in the theatres. Recently Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist was released. This movie was initially released on youtube in short episodes and afterwards they made one big whole. Finally a movie that does the franchise justice.

SFAF0

The movie starts off with the training of Ken and Ryu by Gouken (Gôken) Sensei. Both of these warriors-to-be will reach the hardest stage of their training by entering the stage they will emerge in the world of Hadou. Hadou is a mystical power that comes from within, one has to be in total control and balance in order to achieve such strength but this power can also consume its user. When one is consumed they can perish or become something even worse, a dark being that has a never ending thirst for power. You’ll see how impatient Ken truly is, whilst Ryu maintains a constant balance. That being said Ryu is battling some inner demons along his path of mastering Hadou.

As their training progresses, in a far off dojo, they will uncover secrets of what Hadou truly is. It is a force that should not be underestimated and they will learn of the fate of Gouken’s brother. A man who was consumed by the dark Hadou at the cost of his own humanity.

Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist depicts two stories that intertwine. On the one side you’ll see how Ken and Ryu are brought up and become the great warriors they are today. Mastering the powers of Hadou was something that was only possible because of their physical strength as well as their mental power. Getting stronger was not an easy task and both of them have had to battle the evils that lurk within handling these powers.

On the other side we’ll see the history of Gouken Sensei and his younger brother Gouki. Whilst Gouken was, and still is, the balanced one of the two, Gouki only strived for more power. His ultimate struggle for power has caused suffering for many along the way but this did not stop him to achieve his goals. Ultimately consumed by the evil this road has taken him on, he will end up being a greater danger to everyone than anyone could have expected.

SFAF2

The movie switches between both present (1987) and past to create one greater storyline. This formula works well seeing you’ll constantly get to see how everything started and how Ken and Ryu are facing the same struggles in the present. Whilst the movie often feels as if it situates itself more in the past, it never feels as if both ‘heroes’ are pushed too much on the background.

As expected, the action scenes in this movie are simply superb. Even with the signature movies from the fighting games, the movie never feels too unrealistic to get into. Choreography of these scenes are top notch and every fight still puts you back on the edge of the seat; be it against ally or foe.

Music in the movie is again of a quality that simply does the name ‘Street Fighter’ justice. Not only will you be treated to a traditional martial arts soundtrack, the signature songs of some characters from the fighting games will appear from angles you will not expect. This makes the movie even more enjoyable and of course authentic.

The movie will be spoken in English as well as Japanese and both even mingle at certain times. Whilst it is sometimes horrible to hear Japanese actors speak English, again this never truly gets bothersome and still feels quite realistic.

Whilst most of the cast will seem quite unfamiliar to you, our two main heroes already have a decent amount of experience. Mike Moh (Ryu) has starred in big series such as True Blood, Castle, House M.D. and Kamen Rider and proves to be a formidable co-actor for Ken. Christian Howard (Ken) already has experience in the Street Fighter universe by starring as Ken in the short movie Street Fighter: Legacy. Other roles in the movie are again of top quality and nowhere along the line you’ll notice any slip-ups or unconvincing acting performances.

SFAF1

Conclusion

Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist might just as well be the movie Street Fighter fans have been waiting for, even before the release of the first movie in 1996. The main characters are perfectly casted, the story gives us a great ‘backbone’ for the overall story and the action scenes are ones to be remembered. In short, one of the best movies this year to be added to your DVD or Blu-ray collection.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)
VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist (Blu-ray) - Movie Review, 10.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating

No Comments

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.