The A-Team (2010)

Hollywood puts aside any doubts that they aren't lazy.

The similarities between the A-Team and my last reviewed movie, The Karate Kid, are pretty surprising. Both are rehashes of something old, both drip of mediocrity and both prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that Hollywood is running out of ideas. The big difference is that the A-Team doesn't even try. 

If you're familiar with the 1980's television show, than the A-Team should make some sense. Aside from some minor changes in the characters back-stories, like being Iraq war veterans this time around, the characters are similar to what you're familiar with. This specialized team of soldiers is framed for something that goes wrong on a mission and all sent to prisons across the country. They must break out and set the record straight or live in disgrace. The cast features some big names, including Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper and Jessica Biel, along with some other recognizable faces. The movie received mediocre reviews and did worse than expected at the box office. Maybe, just once, people decided not to give Hollywood a pass at making lazy movies.

The only good thing about The A-Team is it's action sequences. I would be lying if I said that there is nothing fun about the movie. The wacky plans are fun to watch come together, but that doesn't excuse the filmmakers from their mistakes. The pacing is all off, the story is convoluted and boring and the characters are bad in that larger than life sort of way. Ultimately, a smart moviegoer knows what they're getting out of The A-Team. It's a movie that, consistently, barely meets the low expectations set for it and it's another example of what should be known as the worst summer for movies in a long time.

4/10