Thursday Night at the Movies - The A-Team

The TV series The A-Team ran for 5 seasons in the early 1980s. My wife was a big fan of the show. I watched the show on occasion but was never what you would call a fan. I didn't hate it but generally found better things to do with my time when it was on.When we first saw the trailers for the film my wife said "We're going to see that". And so we did. She loved it. I didn't. The movie was as advertised, a big action film with lots of stunts and things blowing up. I like this sort of movie as much as the next guy but I didn't find too much fun in this. For one thing, the movie is not like the TV show. The movie is more like an origins story. Since I couldn't remember the back story of the TV show I had to look it up on Wikipedia. The movie changes things up a bit, for example the 'crime they didn't commit' took place in Iraq instead of Vietnam, but all the elements are there. And of course, the movie had a lot bigger budget so the story is much more complicated.

I think I was doing OK until it came time to bust Murdock out of a military mental hospital in Germany. They drive through the wall in a Hummer, drive it to the airport, conveniently located next door, steal a C-130 cargo plane and take off. I'm thinking, there had to have been a more subtle escape plan then this. Then, the military sends unmanned drones after the plane and they start shooting at it. Over Germany! And they shoot it down! Over Germany! Can you say collateral damage? They survive because there is a tank in the back of the plane. The drones shoot up the tanks parachute and the team manage to steer the falling tank by firing shells from the turret. Did I mention they were over Germany? They land in a lake, firing shells downward to brake their fall. And then...

OK, that's enough. Go see it if you want but I'd advise against it.

I said we're not seeing The Expendables (which looks like the A-Team on steroids) unless it gets 4 stars.