The A-Team

It's another return to the 80's after Predators resurrection of the archetypal big concept movie we have a retooling of one of the classic TV series of the decade hair styling forgot.

Yes, it's the new A-Team film. Released in the cinema earlier this year it didn't really set the world alight but catching up with it on Blu-ray I can honestly say the film was a lot of fun. A lot of big 'ol dumb fun, just like the television show.

We open on with a prologue that sees the gang meeting up with each other for the first time and we're introduced to each one in turn with character names stamped onto the screen as iconic lines are delivered, gone is the fear the film might take itself too seriously.

It's a sequence that also nicely sets up B.A.'s fear of flying throughout the rest of proceedings during a frantic helicopter chase featuring a stunt so cool even the bad guys applauds the antics of his would be quarry.

Leaping forward a few years we see our heroes get framed (after another frantic action sequence), then break out of various jails (there's a nice nod to One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Phil Silver's Sgt.Bilko plus time for a couple of cameos)before setting out to clear their names and recover some stolen franking plates.

Whilst not being over taxing the plot does use a couple of neat turns as the gang avoid capture by Jessica Biel's dogged pursuit to recapture them, deal with a shady CIA agent (Patrick Wilson going for ever so slightly panto) and try to work just exactly who it was that set them up to start with. Along the way things exploded and people wise-crack.

But that's exactly what this film should be, one imaginative sequence sees the team plummeting in earthward in a tank. Yes, it strains the laws of science but, heck, go with it and it's all done with a sense of fun. Mercifully director Joe Carnahan lets you see what is going on for most of it too; nailing the action with aplomb and showing a comfortable hand with the comedy, it's only the more traditionally dramatic sections where he's a little unsure what tone to strike.

Liam Neeson is dependable as ever as Hannibal the wily old operator, Bradley Cooper turns on the charm as 'Face' and sparks well with Biel and Quinton Jackson acquits himself well enough as BA. But it's Sharlto Copley who gets the best moments and makes the most of them as Mad Murdock, overall the guys do function well as a group bouncing off each (lines come in and over each other, helping give the sense these guys have worked together for years.

So turn off your brain and enjoy a daft adventure (with the occasional streak of wicked black humour) with plenty of bangs and a couple of laughs. It may take a while to settle down (the opening ten minutes or so is a little choppy) but it left me with a silly grin on my face.

And of course it ends with that monologue...