The trouble with movies based on videogames is that they often have tremendous amounts of pizzazz and special effects but run short on plot. The writer of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, however, tried so hard to make sure we had a real story to follow, and the result is one that follows the rise of a young woman, Chun-Li (Kristen Kreuk), as she grows into her own as a martial arts powerhouse. Along the way, she’ll receive mentorship, learn her place in society, and encounter evil in its darkest forms. This isn’t just a martial arts tournament showcase, but rather, it’s the birth of a legend.
Chun-Li’s father is kidnapped early on by the evil Bison (Neal McDonough) who possesses a conscience-free soul thanks to the sacrifice of his wife and unborn child back in the day, and seventeen years later, Chun-Li finds herself giving up the life of concert pianist and taking on the role of a modern-day Robin Hood in Bangkok. Bison’s henchmen include Balrog (Michael Clarke Duncan) and Vega (Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas), while Chun-Li’s mentor, Gen (Robin Shou of martial arts fame), provides her with the majority of her backup.
But Chun-Li’s education isn’t all about learning to fight: she must also learn how to live. While her life was dramatically altered by the loss of her father, she grew up in a sheltered, rich situation which gave her everything that she ever needed or wanted in a material way. When she gives up her situation as a pianist and takes to the street, she learns what it means to be poor, and sees how crime has negatively impacted the hearts and lives of those who live there. What Bison has done has taken everything from these people, and Chun-Li learns that it is her responsibility to give it back.
Thankfully, she’s not alone. Charlie (Chris Klein, most famously of American Pie), an Interpol agent, and Detective Maya Sunee (Moon Bloodgood) are hot on the trail of Bison, and that makes things slightly easier for Chun-Li’s mission of justice and mercy. While Chun-Li is the catalyst for standing against Bison, her example sets everything in motion that will finally bring down the evil empire that he has created and make the streets of Bangkok safe(r) again.
It’s kind of funny, but with this cast, the movie isn’t nearly as ridiculous as you might think. McDonough and Duncan have some serious acting resumes, Klein, Bloodgood, and Kreuk have been around for quite awhile, and the story isn’t entirely lame. So, really, if you’re in the mood for some martial arts, for a straightforward battle between good and evil, then you should check out this particular Legend. Learning lessons of mercy along with the battle between good and evil is a great way to spend an afternoon.
