Street Fighter (2026)

And as quickly as it arrived, it looks like the dawn of the successful and critically acclaimed videogame movie is already at its end.

It was a fun ride whilst it lasted and proved that there was potential in the form but the latest take on Street Fighter, sadly and unexpectedly, could be seen as the end point.

It’s such a shame as there is a good film somewhere in here but it’s buried under the usual editing issues, gonzo exposition and nonsense plotting and that all too familiar whiff of studio interference.

The easiest and closest comparison to make is the original Suicide Squad. In fact, the similarities are uncanny.

An already-established and excellent cast of colourful and interesting, iconic characters all played well by their respective cast (a great mix of professional fighters, massive names and savvy choices) are embroiled in a story and film that may as well have come from the minds of a couple of pre-teen children dosed up on E numbers and shouting at each other at playtime.

It’s so harebrained, constantly moving and frantic to be borderline unwatchable at times.

There’s also some massive holes and editing pratfalls where you wonder whether anyone actually watched it back before releasing it.

Most egregiously, before what portends to be the ‘final’ fight, one of the combatants just disappears into another plot entirely.

Again, going back to Suicide Squad, just seeing the characters up there onscreen and fighting is often more than enough so shoehorning everything in around them just makes less and less sense.

In fact, for a Street Fighter film, the lack of actual fighting is obscene.

Only four of the original eight fighters are even in the tournament (which forms the main MacGuffin of the film) and, even then, only one is shown in a match which lasts all of a couple of minutes.

Where’s the missed potential then?

Well, there is an awful lot here to like.

As mentioned, the cast are uniformly great. They look the part, clearly know what film they’re in and all look like they want to be involved (the MVP’s being David Dastmalchian, Orville Peck and Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson.)

Whilst some of the nineties-isms should have been left in the past (some of the jokes and lines don’t play well) the soundtrack is well-curated and utilised.

Also, the choice to present all of the flashbacks in anime (like Kill Bill) is excellent and these scenes are comfortably the best of the film.

So, clearly, there’s some love and care that has gone into this endeavor but the substance just doesn’t match the style and the videogame love.

Whatever it’s down to, the actual film surrounding all of the fun and potential fun just can’t hold itself up.

Not the knockout Hadouken it could, and should, have been.

⭐️⭐️