Back in 1994, a memorably bad big-screen version of the video game Street Fighter starred Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue. It was an all-time low in adaptations that turned the arcade games we grew up with into movies. The major issue was that it didn’t look anything like the game, but more like a 90s action movie watered down for younger viewers. The producers of the new version decided they wanted to appease fans and give them a movie that felt like watching a live-action version of the game. They did, but in the process delivered a plotless, incredibly dull, overlong smash-bang-wallop mess.

Former World Warrior fighter Ryu has been in hiding for years until M. Bison recruits him to take part in a new version of the competition, which he uses to gain power under his control. It also leads to a reunion between Ryu and Ken Masters, who were once like brothers.

Originally intended for the Philippou brothers to direct (they decided to make the brilliant Bring Her Back), Kitao Sakurai, who has worked mainly in TV, does a good job of recreating the Street Fighter world as seen in the computer game. He also includes sequences like the car destruction, which played an important part as a side game. He also made the characters look authentically like their counterparts and gave them the same impressive special-move features. This is all well and good for fans, but if you are unfamiliar with this world, it can be confusing, since nothing is ever explained.

What seems to work against the film’s structure is its use of anime flashbacks to explain Ryu and Ken’s backstory before they went their separate ways. These moments are not only interesting but well executed. However, when the movie moves to live action, it becomes less interesting. The colour palette also captures the game’s tone.

Then it comes down to the film’s content, and this is where it falls flat. It is nothing more than a 2-hour collection of fight sequences that go on far too long, and after a while, they all look the same. It is like the game, but when you are playing it, you are in control. Watching it on the screen is like watching someone else play the game, and we all know how that feels. It’s a common mistake in video game adaptations. The recent Resident Evil movie had the right idea: use the game’s premise and attach an original story that never feels like you are playing a game. With all the tricks, looks, and even the soundtrack, it’s exactly like the game, but you care little about anyone involved.

I’m guessing I am not a fanboy for this kind of film, and maybe not the target audience, but I did find myself wandering, and I think I did doze off for a few seconds, only to wake up and realise I missed nothing. If you are going to make a film like this, it needs storyline and character development, and if you want the anime moments to return, you know there is an issue.

From a performance standpoint, David Dastmalchian, so good as the TV host in the horror Late Night with the Devil, has a blast playing the villainous M. Bison and elevates every scene he appears in. Callina Liang should also be commended as Chun-Li, especially with her martial arts skills. Masked country singer Orville Peck also appears as the masked Vega, but anyone could have played it.

Street Fighter, like the Mortal Kombat sequel earlier this year, tries to play for the fans but forgets there is another kind of audience out there. This is a marked improvement over the original Van Damme movie, but that wasn’t hard; the bar was so low, and it still isn’t anything more than a flashy slice of nonsense that leaves you numb. I’ll never get those two hours back.

1 out of 5

Director: Kitao Sakurai

Starring: Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, David Dastmalchian, Andrew Schulz, Joe ‘Roman Reigns’ Anoai, Cody Rhodes, Jason Momoa, Eric Andre, Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, Orville Peck

Written by: Kitao Sakurai, T.J. Fixman, (story) Dalan Musson and Gary Dauberman

Running Time: 119 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 16th October 2026