The Live-Action Street Fighter Movie Curse Has Yet To Be Broken

A new live-action Street Fighter movie has arrived to mixed-to-negative reviews, continuing the franchise’s unfortunate track record with cinematic adaptations. Directed by Kitao Sakurai and starring Andrew Koji and Noah Centineo as Ryu and Ken, the film attempts to embrace the fighting game’s inherent ridiculousness rather than elevate it to prestige cinema.

Critics praise David Dastmalchian’s performance as M. Bison, calling it a masterclass in B-movie camp that steals every scene. However, reviewers consistently note that Dastmalchian is operating on an entirely different level than his co-stars and the rest of the production. The overall consensus describes the film as incoherent, sloppy, and cringeworthy, with confused direction that lacks clarity on what kind of movie it’s trying to be.

While not deemed a complete catastrophe, Street Fighter fails to break the franchise’s live-action curse established by 1994’s Street Fighter and 2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li—both heavily hyped productions that disappointed audiences and critics alike. Reviewers acknowledge the film has moments of fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but the execution falls significantly short of the promising trailers and charismatic cast that initially sparked fan interest.

The movie represents yet another failed attempt to adapt one of gaming’s most iconic franchises into live-action cinema, proving that Street Fighter remains difficult to translate to the big screen.

The Live-Action Street Fighter Movie Curse Has Yet To Be Broken

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