Already this year, at the cinema, we've had HOT TUB TIME MACHINE's homage to everything that was wrong with that decade, and this week there are reimaginings of two icons of the era; KARATE KID and THE A-TEAM. Of course, on TV there were the now-finished Ashes to Ashes (which would have been better-named Station to Station) and the updated Knight Rider.
Apart from the blatant lack of imagination, these remakes are somewhat counter-productive. Admittedly the originals don't usually stand the test of time, especially with the '80s crimes against fashion, and the nostalgia for them never matches the reality, but that nostalgia also clouds the expectations of the new version.
Take KARATE KID, for example (which I haven't seen), it is not a continuation of the original series, which died a natural death, but neither is it a remake. It appears to have taken the basic concept of the original, an Asian master teaches a brat to fight by tricking him, and used the same title, even though it is kung fu. The original still stands on its own (one leg), and kids can still enjoy it, so why bother with the remake?
The same could be said for THE A-TEAM. The charm of the original show was its completely implausible story lines, larger-than-life characters, and over-the-top action in which no one got killed. I have to admit that I wasn't much of a fan, and for some strange reason the only episode that sticks in my mind was the one with Boy George and Culture Club (also not a fan), so I have no real allegiance Peppard's Hannibal (much preferred him in Banacek) or the rest of his team.
However, I did find it strange how much the actors in this new movie version emulated the original characters, even down to their physical looks, without remaining true to the ethos of the TV series. In its attempt to adapt it for modern audiences, there is more violence that is even more-over-the-top, to the point of incredulity, while tempering it with some touchy-feely bits alongside the need for revenge.
This is all very well, and did make for an amusing popcorn movie, but I couldn't help wondering if it was really worth the effort and expense, especially as we had just seen a modernised version of The A-Team, in the shape of THE LOSERS. Same basic concept of military guys being framed and out for justice/revenge. The characters were even almost the same, but without the baggage of the existing, much-loved personalities.
If you are wondering why there is no synopsis of the film, because it doesn't need one. There's no profound message in the movie. If you enjoyed the cerebral action of INCEPTION, you can leave your brain at home to ponder its nuances, because you won't need to engage it for this film. To be fair it never made any pretence to be anything other than a funny, dumb actioner – as embodied by Shalto Copley's (DISTRICT 9) portrayal of Murdock. And Bradley Cooper is great as Face. If you are going to the cinema and can't get into INCEPTION or TOY STORY 3, then this makes for an entertaining plan B, and stay to the end of the credits.
THE A-TEAM is in cinemas now