The new Street Fighter film has arrived in theaters, attempting to adapt the iconic fighting game franchise for a new cinematic era. While it features visually striking 2D animation for its flashbacks and numerous nods to the classic games, the movie struggles with its narrative structure, notably sidelining the very tournament that gives the series its name. This oversight echoes a similar misstep made by the 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot, a lesson seemingly unlearned by the Street Fighter filmmakers.
Drawing from the acclaimed Street Fighter II for its premise, the film establishes a second World Warrior tournament orchestrated by M. Bison. His goal is to lure out Ryu to steal his Hado power, the energy behind his signature Hadoken. The tournament is intended to bring together fighters from across the globe. However, the film quickly shifts focus away from the competition. Bison's plan leads to Ryu's immediate kidnapping, leaving the tournament largely unresolved. Ken's quest to become champion and prove himself to his late master Gouken forms only a portion of his storyline. Ryu himself never participates due to his abduction, despite defeating E. Honda to secure a spot. Chun-Li, the sole female competitor in the game, is also marginalized. Many key characters are relegated to the periphery of the tournament plot.
The result is a disjointed viewing experience where the tournament feels incidental. Fights are skipped, and rounds are decided by forfeit as characters pursue unrelated plot threads. This lack of focus on the tournament makes it difficult to invest in the limited matches that do occur. Fan favorites like Guile and Zangief are largely absent from the action, appearing only in an early bar brawl. This is a disappointing outcome, especially given that the 2021 Mortal Kombat film made a similar error by omitting its central tournament.
The 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot, despite its financial success, was criticized for its creative direction. Instead of centering the story on the tournament, it focused on introducing newcomer Cole Young and preventing the tournament from happening. This narrative choice left audiences questioning the absence of the titular event. The backlash was significant, with fans lamenting the exclusion of the tournament and the introduction of lore changes like the "Arcana" tattoos. The subsequent Mortal Kombat II, however, learned from these mistakes by making the tournament a central element of its story and reintroducing iconic characters.
It is therefore baffling that Street Fighter falls into the same trap. The film sidelines its tournament not for a more compelling or subversive narrative, but for thinly written characters and generic action sequences. While the Street Fighter games are not known for their deep narratives, the franchise possesses enough iconic characters and cultural recognition to support an entertaining film with a functional dramatic structure. A tournament provides a natural framework for a sports movie-like progression toward a climactic showdown. Despite M. Bison's machinations, he never directly confronts Ryu. Instead, the film culminates in a battle between Ryu and Akuma, while Bison makes an escape, setting up a potential sequel.
This narrative approach is particularly disappointing given the current success of video game adaptations. Films like the Sonic the Hedgehog series, acclaimed shows such as Fallout and Castlevania, and the recent Resident Evil movie demonstrate that the "video game curse" has been broken. Even Mortal Kombat has found renewed success with its second installment. Street Fighter possesses the elements to continue this trend but prioritizes fan service and sequel bait over cohesive storytelling. The film concludes with the heroes pursuing Bison, who has recruited Sagat, leaving the audience with the impression that little of consequence occurred in the present film.
Fighting games are primarily about exciting one-on-one action, and a tournament structure is the most logical way to deliver this. While character development and story are important, a return to the fundamental appeal of the games is necessary. Whether Street Fighter achieves enough success for a sequel remains to be seen, but a future installment would benefit greatly from remembering the core elements that made the franchise popular in the first place.