The A-Team (film)
Encyclopedia
The A-Team is an American action film
based on the television series of the same name
. It was released in cinemas in the United States on June 11, 2010, by 20th Century Fox
. The film was directed by Joe Carnahan
and produced by Stephen J. Cannell
and the Scott brothers Ridley
and Tony
. The film has been in development since the mid 1990s, having gone through a number of writers and story ideas, and being put on hold a number of times. Producer Stephen J. Cannell
wished to update the setting, perhaps using the first Gulf War
as part of the backstory.
The film stars Liam Neeson
, Bradley Cooper
, Quinton Jackson
, and Sharlto Copley
as The A-Team
, former U.S. Army Rangers
, imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. They escape and set out to clear their names. Jessica Biel
, Patrick Wilson
, and Brian Bloom
fill supporting roles. The film received mixed reviews from critics and performed slightly below expectations at the box office. The reception from the cast of the original television series
was also mixed.
) is held captive in Mexico
by two corrupt Mexican police officers working for the renegade
General Javier Tuco (Yul Vazquez
). Hannibal escapes and sets out to rescue Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Bradley Cooper
), who is held captive at Tuco's ranch. Hannibal saves Face after enlisting fellow Ranger Bosco Albert (B.A.) Baracus (Quinton Jackson
), driving to the rescue in B.A.'s modified GMC Vandura van. Pursued by Tuco, they stop at a nearby Army Hospital
to recruit the services of eccentric pilot H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley
). They flee in a medical helicopter, chased by Tuco, in a dogfight
that leaves B.A. with a fear of flying. The battle ends when they lure Tuco's helicopter into American airspace, where it is destroyed by a U.S. F-22 Raptor, all according to Hannibal's plan.
The film cuts forward to "8 years . . . and 80 successful missions later." The Team is a highly regarded elite Special Forces unit stationed in Iraq. Hannibal is contacted by CIA Special Activities Division
Agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson
), who reveals that Iraqi insurgents
possess U.S. Treasury plates that could be used to counterfeit
U.S. currency
. Lynch wants The Team to retrieve the plates and over $1 billion in cash that is due to be moved out of Baghdad in a heavily protected armored convoy. Face's former lover Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Capt. Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel
) arrives and warns him to stay away from the plates. Against the advice of his Commanding Officer, Major General Russell Morrison (Gerald McRaney
), Hannibal agrees to steal the plates in an unofficial black ops
mission. The mission is successful; but, when the team returns to base, the money, plates, and Morrison's vehicle are destroyed by Brock Pike (Brian Bloom
) and his men from the private security firm Black Forest. Without Morrison, the only proof that they were authorized to act, the team is sentenced to ten years in prison
and dishonorably discharged
.
Six months later, Lynch, who "comes from a long line of Lynches", visits Hannibal in prison and tells him that Pike may be trying to sell the plates with the help of an Arab backer. Hannibal, who has been tracking Pike on his own, makes a deal with Lynch: full reinstatement and clean records for his team in return for the plates. Lynch agrees, and Hannibal escapes prison by appearing to be dead and barely escapes being cremated. Hannibal then breaks out Face, B.A., and Murdock. In a slight hitch, B.A. has turned to pacifism
and refuses to kill or hurt anyone. By now, Lt.
Sosa, who holds a grudge against the team for disregarding her warning and getting her demoted, is hot on The Team's trail. Under the belief they are working with Pike, she tries to head them off in a military Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, firing on them as they flee. The plane is destroyed by two remote-piloted drone fighters, but the team escapes inside the body of a tank on parachutes.
The Team tracks Pike and launches an offensive to reclaim the plates and kidnap Pike's backer. They learn that the backer is actually General Morrison. He worked with Lynch and Pike to steal the plates but then teamed up with Pike to double-cross Lynch and fake his death. When Lynch learns the team has Morrison, he orders an air strike. The A-Team flees, but General Morrison dies.
Face hatches the next plan. Knowing Lynch is tapping
her phone, Hannibal arranges to meet still-Lt. Sosa on board a container ship
at the Los Angeles docks
, saying he will hand over Morrison and the plates in exchange for his freedom. The plan works: Pike is killed, Lynch is taken into custody, and the plates are recovered. Despite their success, The Team is arrested for escaping from prison. Sosa is reinstated to Captain, but she promises to do all she can to set them free and kisses Face as he is led into a prison van. In the van, Face opens his mouth and reveals the key, given to him by Sosa through the kiss. "I love it when a plan comes together!" he crows as his teammates laugh.
The film closes with narration (provided by Corey Burton
) reminiscent of the original television series'
opening credits, stating that The Team now live as soldiers of fortune
.
In a post-credits scene
, Face walks to the tanning bed in prison, asking the man emerging how to protect his face. The man (Dirk Benedict
) tells him, "You don't mess with it, kid." Next, Murdock receives electro-shock therapy, while two doctors look on. As he seems to be enjoying it, one of them (Dwight Schultz
) says "This guy, Murdock, is nuts." In the extended cut on DVD and Blu-ray these scenes are put back into the film.
In a post-credits scene, original series actors Dirk Benedict
(Face) and Dwight Schultz
(Murdock) have cameos with their film equivalents Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley. Benedict plays Face's fellow tanning bed client, credited as "Pensacola Prison
er Milt," and Schultz plays one of two neurologists observing Murdock during a shock-therapy session.
including Kamloops, Cache Creek and Ashcroft, British Columbia
, with much of the studio works being done at Mammoth Studios. Other footage was included as well, such as aerial shots of Cologne
(though falsely referred to as Frankfurt in the movie). Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake is also featured in the German escape scene where a number of base buildings and landmarks are clearly visible, as is the false canopy painted under the CF-188s. The Royal Canadian Air Force
is the only one to have the false canopy painted on the bottom. American markings were digitally added later.
as part of the backstory.
John Singleton was initially assigned to direct, but in October 2008 he pulled out of the project.
When Singleton was still attached to the project as director, Ice Cube
was approached for the role of B.A. Baracus.
In June 2009, Variety
revealed that Liam Neeson
was in negotiations with 20th Century Fox
to star as Hannibal Smith, and Bradley Cooper
announced to MTV News
that he will be playing the role of Templeton Peck after he first denied the rumors saying that he was not involved and insisted that he had not seen any script.
The production budget for the film was $110 million, but the cost came in at $100 million after tax credits.
fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson would play the role of B.A. Baracus in the upcoming film, but this was later denied by a representative for Jackson.
In September 2009, The Vancouver Sun
suggested that Jackson has been attached to the role and was postponing his fight at UFC 107
with Rashad Evans
due to filming for The A-Team. Filming started in Vancouver in late 2009, and Jackson's involvement was then confirmed.
On September 15, 2009, Variety confirmed the casting of Neeson, Cooper and Jackson. They additionally reported that Sharlto Copley
and Jessica Biel
were in final negotiations to join the cast. Copley would be playing the role of H.M. Murdock and Biel would be playing the ex-lover of Face who is a disillusioned and ruthless Army officer in charge of pursuing the team.
20th Century Fox later confirmed that Copley and Biel were cast in the film.
On September 30, 2009, Liam Neeson and the rest of the cast were seen filming scenes in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
, as shooting got under way.
The first official pictures of Neeson, Cooper, Copley and Jackson in character were soon released, including one which features the iconic van in the background.
On October 30, 2009, Dwight Schultz
confirmed that he had filmed a cameo scene for the movie. This news was followed on the November 23, 2009, that Dirk Benedict
would also make a cameo.
Schultz and Benedict played H.M. Murdock and Templeton "Faceman" Peck respectively in the original series.
would compose the film score. Silvestri recorded his score with a 90-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony
at the Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox
.
for the movie would be released beginning in March. The comics will be published by IDW Publishing
and will be written by Carnahan and Chuck Dixon
. A toy line by Jazwares is also to be released to coincide with the film.
was released as part of the marketing blitz for the film. The A-Team application is a side-scrolling, third person, action shooter game. Produced by RealNetworks, Inc.
the game includes voice-overs from B.A. Baracus.
on Thursday June 3, 2010, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
on Hollywood Boulevard
.
Liam Neeson arrived in The A-Team custom Chevrolet G20
van; Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley rode in on a real U.S. Army tank. The film premiered in the United Kingdom
on Tuesday July 27, before going on general release the next day. The event was attended by the four team members along with Jessica Biel, and the A-Team van.
Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes
gives the film a normalized score of 47% based on 193 reviews (Top Critics: 46%; RT Community: 75%), with an average score of 5.3/10.
The critical consensus is: For better and for worse, Joe Carnahan's big-screen version of The A-Team captures the superficial, noisy spirit of the TV series.
Review aggregate Metacritic
calculated a weighted average score of 47% based on 37 reviews.
Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly says of the film: "It's trash so compacted it glows". He gives the film a grade of B+.
Richard Corliss of TIME magazine calls the film "the best in a mediocre line-up of summer-action flicks". He goes on to say the film lacks "a coherent plot and complex characterization", though he does note that these qualities "are irrelevant to the genre".
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone magazine calls the film, "big, loud, ludicrous and edited into visual incomprehension," but "pity the fool who lets that stand in the way of enjoying The A-Team". He gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4.
In contrast, Lou Lumenick
of The New York Post, who titled his piece "Pity the fool who sees The A-Team
", is among the most critical, calling the film "overlong, overblown and utterly forgettable."
The Hollywood Reporter criticizes the film's story, character development and logic, calling it "nearly writer-free," whilst The St. Petersburg Times
was far more positive, calling the film "literally a blast" from start to finish, and praises it for "containing more thrills than the average shoot-em-up".
Film critic Roger Ebert
of The Chicago Sun Times was especially critical, rating the film just one and a half out of a possible four stars, and said The A-Team is an incomprehensible mess, criticizing the film for being as shallow as the television series, which he describes as "punishment" when drawn out to a two-hour long film.
Stephen Whitty of the Star-Ledger
complains the film makers remembered little more from the television series than a Dirty Dozen
gimmick and compares the film to the "awful" Smokin' Aces
by the same director. He suggests a better plan would be to rent The Losers
or wait for The Expendables
. He concludes The A-Team is only C-grade.
, the original Templeton Peck, spoke of regretting his cameo, stating "You'll miss me if you blink. I kind of regret doing it because it's a non-part. They wanted to be able to say, 'Oh yeah, the original cast are in it,' but we're not. It is three seconds. It's kind of insulting."
Mr. T
, the original B. A. Baracus, was offered a cameo, but turned it down. In a 2010 interview with Script magazine director Joe Carnahan reported that Mr. T, after viewing scenes from the film, thought the final product was "the greatest thing in the world". After the premiere of the film Mr. T allegedly stated that he had become disillusioned and felt the story emphasized sex and violence, and that it was unfaithful to the original series. An attorney for Mr. T later stated that the actor had not yet seen the film and could not comment on it.
Dwight Schultz, who played the TV series' "Howling Mad" Murdock, issued a statement to his official fansite that the film "pays homage to the series while it eschews its essential working premise: a band of capable military brothers for hire determined to save underdog and usually poor civilians from scum." However, Schultz did acknowledge that the movie is not faithful to the TV series. "The team characters are sufficiently different and, with so many roles reversed from the original, one could say they are not really derivative, save for their names." He also noted that Sharlto Copley's Murdock "is faithful to the original, but at the same time is big screen twisted and right at home with the new team."
In the psychiatric hospital scene, Reginald Barclay
, Schultz's character from Star Trek: The Next Generation
, is credited during the opening title of a film, as is L.T. Starbuck, referencing Lieutenant Starbuck
, Benedict's character from the original Battlestar Galactica
."
The film opened behind The Karate Kid
, which took in $56 million. The film opened in the UK./Ireland
on July 28, 2010, and came at #3 in at the box office with a first weekend haul of $5.6 million. As of August 26, 2010, The A-Team has taken over $77 million at the U.S. box office, and $99 million internationally, for a worldwide total of over $176 million.
and Blu-ray
. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27 in Australia and on November 29, 2010 in the UK. An extended cut was also released. Two of the most noteworthy additions in the extended cut were the two cameo scenes of the original Face and Murdock, which were pushed back after the end credits in the original cut due to pacing.
. Joe Carnahan has expressed interest in directing a sequel and said it will depend on DVD and Blu-ray sales and rentals. On March 10, 2011, Cooper stated that the film had not generated enough revenue for there to be a sequel.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
based on the television series of the same name
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
. It was released in cinemas in the United States on June 11, 2010, by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. The film was directed by Joe Carnahan
Joe Carnahan
Joseph Aaron "Joe" Carnahan is an American independent film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his films Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane, Narc, Smokin' Aces and The A-Team...
and produced by Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
and the Scott brothers Ridley
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
and Tony
Tony Scott
Anthony D. L. "Tony" Scott is an English film director. His films include Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable...
. The film has been in development since the mid 1990s, having gone through a number of writers and story ideas, and being put on hold a number of times. Producer Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
wished to update the setting, perhaps using the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
as part of the backstory.
The film stars Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
, Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:...
, Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
, and Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
as The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
, former U.S. Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. They escape and set out to clear their names. Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
, Patrick Wilson
Patrick Wilson (actor)
Patrick Joseph Wilson is an American actor and singer. Wilson has spent years singing lead roles in major Broadway musicals, beginning in 1996. In 2003, he appeared in the HBO mini-series Angels in America...
, and Brian Bloom
Brian Bloom
Brian Keith Bloom is an American actor, voice actor, and screenwriter.Bloom was born in Merrick, New York, the brother of producer/actor Scott Bloom and musician Mike Bloom....
fill supporting roles. The film received mixed reviews from critics and performed slightly below expectations at the box office. The reception from the cast of the original television series
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
was also mixed.
Plot
John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam NeesonLiam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
) is held captive in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
by two corrupt Mexican police officers working for the renegade
Turncoat
A turncoat is a person who shifts allegiance from one loyalty or ideal to another, betraying or deserting an original cause by switching to the opposing side or party...
General Javier Tuco (Yul Vazquez
Yul Vazquez
Yul Vázquez was born in Cuba. He is an actor and he is married to Linda Larkin.He has appeared as “Bob” in the Seinfeld episodes “The Soup Nazi”, “The Sponge” and “The Puerto Rican Day”....
). Hannibal escapes and sets out to rescue Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:...
), who is held captive at Tuco's ranch. Hannibal saves Face after enlisting fellow Ranger Bosco Albert (B.A.) Baracus (Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
), driving to the rescue in B.A.'s modified GMC Vandura van. Pursued by Tuco, they stop at a nearby Army Hospital
Army Medical Department (United States)
The Army Medical Department of the U.S. Army – known as the AMEDD – comprises the Army's six medical Special Branches of officers and medical enlisted soldiers. It was established as the "Army Hospital" in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the...
to recruit the services of eccentric pilot H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
). They flee in a medical helicopter, chased by Tuco, in a dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
that leaves B.A. with a fear of flying. The battle ends when they lure Tuco's helicopter into American airspace, where it is destroyed by a U.S. F-22 Raptor, all according to Hannibal's plan.
The film cuts forward to "8 years . . . and 80 successful missions later." The Team is a highly regarded elite Special Forces unit stationed in Iraq. Hannibal is contacted by CIA Special Activities Division
Special Activities Division
The Special Activities Division is a division in the United States Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service responsible for covert operations known as "special activities"...
Agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson
Patrick Wilson (actor)
Patrick Joseph Wilson is an American actor and singer. Wilson has spent years singing lead roles in major Broadway musicals, beginning in 1996. In 2003, he appeared in the HBO mini-series Angels in America...
), who reveals that Iraqi insurgents
Iraqi insurgency
The Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
possess U.S. Treasury plates that could be used to counterfeit
Counterfeit money
Counterfeit money is currency that is produced without the legal sanction of the state or government to resemble some official form of currency closely enough that it may be confused for genuine currency. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery. Counterfeiting is probably...
U.S. currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
. Lynch wants The Team to retrieve the plates and over $1 billion in cash that is due to be moved out of Baghdad in a heavily protected armored convoy. Face's former lover Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is the criminal investigative arm of the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense...
Capt. Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
) arrives and warns him to stay away from the plates. Against the advice of his Commanding Officer, Major General Russell Morrison (Gerald McRaney
Gerald McRaney
Gerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows Simon & Simon, Major Dad, and Promised Land. He was a series regular for the first season of Jericho.-Early life:McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi, the son...
), Hannibal agrees to steal the plates in an unofficial black ops
Black operation
A black operation or black op is a covert operation typically involving activities that are highly clandestine and often outside of standard military protocol or even against the law.-Origins:...
mission. The mission is successful; but, when the team returns to base, the money, plates, and Morrison's vehicle are destroyed by Brock Pike (Brian Bloom
Brian Bloom
Brian Keith Bloom is an American actor, voice actor, and screenwriter.Bloom was born in Merrick, New York, the brother of producer/actor Scott Bloom and musician Mike Bloom....
) and his men from the private security firm Black Forest. Without Morrison, the only proof that they were authorized to act, the team is sentenced to ten years in prison
United States Army Corrections Command
The United States Army Corrections Command exercises command and control and operational oversight for policy, programming, resourcing, and support of Army Corrections System facilities and TDA elements worldwide....
and dishonorably discharged
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
.
Six months later, Lynch, who "comes from a long line of Lynches", visits Hannibal in prison and tells him that Pike may be trying to sell the plates with the help of an Arab backer. Hannibal, who has been tracking Pike on his own, makes a deal with Lynch: full reinstatement and clean records for his team in return for the plates. Lynch agrees, and Hannibal escapes prison by appearing to be dead and barely escapes being cremated. Hannibal then breaks out Face, B.A., and Murdock. In a slight hitch, B.A. has turned to pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and refuses to kill or hurt anyone. By now, Lt.
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Sosa, who holds a grudge against the team for disregarding her warning and getting her demoted, is hot on The Team's trail. Under the belief they are working with Pike, she tries to head them off in a military Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, firing on them as they flee. The plane is destroyed by two remote-piloted drone fighters, but the team escapes inside the body of a tank on parachutes.
The Team tracks Pike and launches an offensive to reclaim the plates and kidnap Pike's backer. They learn that the backer is actually General Morrison. He worked with Lynch and Pike to steal the plates but then teamed up with Pike to double-cross Lynch and fake his death. When Lynch learns the team has Morrison, he orders an air strike. The A-Team flees, but General Morrison dies.
Face hatches the next plan. Knowing Lynch is tapping
Telephone tapping
Telephone tapping is the monitoring of telephone and Internet conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was an actual electrical tap on the telephone line...
her phone, Hannibal arranges to meet still-Lt. Sosa on board a container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
at the Los Angeles docks
Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles, also called Los Angeles Harbor and WORLDPORT L.A, is a port complex that occupies of land and water along of waterfront. The port is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately south of downtown...
, saying he will hand over Morrison and the plates in exchange for his freedom. The plan works: Pike is killed, Lynch is taken into custody, and the plates are recovered. Despite their success, The Team is arrested for escaping from prison. Sosa is reinstated to Captain, but she promises to do all she can to set them free and kisses Face as he is led into a prison van. In the van, Face opens his mouth and reveals the key, given to him by Sosa through the kiss. "I love it when a plan comes together!" he crows as his teammates laugh.
The film closes with narration (provided by Corey Burton
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
) reminiscent of the original television series'
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
opening credits, stating that The Team now live as soldiers of fortune
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
.
In a post-credits scene
Post-credits scene
A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...
, Face walks to the tanning bed in prison, asking the man emerging how to protect his face. The man (Dirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict is an American movie, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team television series and Lieutenant Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica film and television series.-Early life:Benedict was born...
) tells him, "You don't mess with it, kid." Next, Murdock receives electro-shock therapy, while two doctors look on. As he seems to be enjoying it, one of them (Dwight Schultz
Dwight Schultz
William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
) says "This guy, Murdock, is nuts." In the extended cut on DVD and Blu-ray these scenes are put back into the film.
Cast
- Liam NeesonLiam NeesonLiam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith - Bradley CooperBradley CooperBradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:...
as Lt. Templeton "Face" Peck - Quinton "Rampage" JacksonQuinton JacksonQuinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
as Cpl. Bosco Albert "B.A." (Bad Attitude) BaracusB. A. BaracusSergeant Bosco Albert "B. A." Baracus is a fictional character in the 1980s action/adventure television series The A-Team, played by Mr. T. B. A. Baracus appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987. He is arguably the breakout character of the series... - Sharlto CopleySharlto CopleySharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
as Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" MurdockH. M. MurdockCaptain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock is a fictional character in the 1980s action/adventure television series, The A-Team. He was played by Dwight Schultz. The character of Murdock was almost written out of the series before it aired, as the producers found the character too "over the top"... - Jessica BielJessica BielJessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
as Charissa Sosa - Patrick WilsonPatrick Wilson (actor)Patrick Joseph Wilson is an American actor and singer. Wilson has spent years singing lead roles in major Broadway musicals, beginning in 1996. In 2003, he appeared in the HBO mini-series Angels in America...
as Agent Vance Burress a.k.a. Agent Lynch - Brian BloomBrian BloomBrian Keith Bloom is an American actor, voice actor, and screenwriter.Bloom was born in Merrick, New York, the brother of producer/actor Scott Bloom and musician Mike Bloom....
as Brock Pike. Bloom was also a writer on the film. - Gerald McRaneyGerald McRaneyGerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows Simon & Simon, Major Dad, and Promised Land. He was a series regular for the first season of Jericho.-Early life:McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi, the son...
as General Russell Morrison - Jon Hamm as Lynch (uncredited)
- Terry ChenTerry ChenTerry Chen is a Canadian movie and television actor.Chen was born to ethnic Chinese parents originating from Taiwan and mainland China in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. After an education at schools in his hometown and in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he attended college in Calgary and...
as Ravech - C. Ernst HarthC. Ernst HarthCary Ernst Harth is a Canadian actor.Harth was born in Galt, Ontario, Canada. He got his first taste of acting in grade school when the drama club cast the school's largest child to play Santa in their Christmas pageant. Harth was just a kindergartner at the time...
as Crematorium Attendant - Corey BurtonCorey BurtonCorey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
as Narrator
In a post-credits scene, original series actors Dirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict is an American movie, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team television series and Lieutenant Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica film and television series.-Early life:Benedict was born...
(Face) and Dwight Schultz
Dwight Schultz
William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
(Murdock) have cameos with their film equivalents Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley. Benedict plays Face's fellow tanning bed client, credited as "Pensacola Prison
Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola
Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola is a minimum security federal prison in Saufley Field, an outlying base of the Pensacola Naval Air Station, in Pensacola, Florida, which houses male offenders. It is in the Judicial district of United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.By 2006,...
er Milt," and Schultz plays one of two neurologists observing Murdock during a shock-therapy session.
Production
The entire film was shot at various locations in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
including Kamloops, Cache Creek and Ashcroft, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, with much of the studio works being done at Mammoth Studios. Other footage was included as well, such as aerial shots of Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
(though falsely referred to as Frankfurt in the movie). Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake is also featured in the German escape scene where a number of base buildings and landmarks are clearly visible, as is the false canopy painted under the CF-188s. The Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
is the only one to have the false canopy painted on the bottom. American markings were digitally added later.
Development
The film had been in development since the mid 1990s, going through a number of writers and story ideas, and being put on hold a number of times. Producer Stephen J. Cannell hoped to update the setting, perhaps using the first Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
as part of the backstory.
John Singleton was initially assigned to direct, but in October 2008 he pulled out of the project.
When Singleton was still attached to the project as director, Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
was approached for the role of B.A. Baracus.
In June 2009, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
revealed that Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
was in negotiations with 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
to star as Hannibal Smith, and Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:...
announced to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
that he will be playing the role of Templeton Peck after he first denied the rumors saying that he was not involved and insisted that he had not seen any script.
The production budget for the film was $110 million, but the cost came in at $100 million after tax credits.
Casting
On August 26, 2009, MMAjunkie.com reported that mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson would play the role of B.A. Baracus in the upcoming film, but this was later denied by a representative for Jackson.
In September 2009, The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun is a daily newspaper first published in the Canadian province of British Columbia on February 12, 1912. The paper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. It is published six days a week, Monday to Saturday...
suggested that Jackson has been attached to the role and was postponing his fight at UFC 107
UFC 107
UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 12, 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee at the FedExForum.-Background:...
with Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight...
due to filming for The A-Team. Filming started in Vancouver in late 2009, and Jackson's involvement was then confirmed.
On September 15, 2009, Variety confirmed the casting of Neeson, Cooper and Jackson. They additionally reported that Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
and Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
were in final negotiations to join the cast. Copley would be playing the role of H.M. Murdock and Biel would be playing the ex-lover of Face who is a disillusioned and ruthless Army officer in charge of pursuing the team.
20th Century Fox later confirmed that Copley and Biel were cast in the film.
On September 30, 2009, Liam Neeson and the rest of the cast were seen filming scenes in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as shooting got under way.
The first official pictures of Neeson, Cooper, Copley and Jackson in character were soon released, including one which features the iconic van in the background.
On October 30, 2009, Dwight Schultz
Dwight Schultz
William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
confirmed that he had filmed a cameo scene for the movie. This news was followed on the November 23, 2009, that Dirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict is an American movie, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team television series and Lieutenant Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica film and television series.-Early life:Benedict was born...
would also make a cameo.
Schultz and Benedict played H.M. Murdock and Templeton "Faceman" Peck respectively in the original series.
Score
On December 1, 2009, it was announced that Alan SilvestriAlan Silvestri
Alan Anthony Silvestri is an American film composer and conductor.-Career:Silvestri is best known for his collaborations with director Robert Zemeckis, having scored Romancing the Stone , the Back to the Future trilogy , Who Framed Roger Rabbit , Death Becomes Her , Forrest Gump , Contact ,...
would compose the film score. Silvestri recorded his score with a 90-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony
Hollywood Studio Symphony
The Hollywood Studio Symphony is the credited name of the symphony orchestra behind many major soundtracks, including The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Sucker Punch, Jurassic Park 3, Last Samurai, Pirates of the Caribbean, We Are Marshall, Spider-Man 2, Lost and The...
at the Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack album of The A-Team was released on June 21, 2010 by Varèse SarabandeVarèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
Comics
In February 2010, it was announced a series of comicsComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
for the movie would be released beginning in March. The comics will be published by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
and will be written by Carnahan and Chuck Dixon
Chuck Dixon
Charles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, best known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.-Biography:Dixon grew up in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, reading comics of all genres...
. A toy line by Jazwares is also to be released to coincide with the film.
Video game
An application for the iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
was released as part of the marketing blitz for the film. The A-Team application is a side-scrolling, third person, action shooter game. Produced by RealNetworks, Inc.
RealNetworks
RealNetworks, Inc. is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. The company is the creator of RealAudio, a compressed audio format; RealVideo, a compressed video format; RealPlayer, a media player; RealDownloader, a download...
the game includes voice-overs from B.A. Baracus.
Release
The film's first trailer was released January 8, 2010. The film's second trailer was released April 1, 2010. The film premiered in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on Thursday June 3, 2010, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Grauman's Chinese Theatre is a movie theater at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. It is on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame.The Chinese Theatre was commissioned following the success of the nearby Grauman's Egyptian Theatre which opened in 1922...
on Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
.
Liam Neeson arrived in The A-Team custom Chevrolet G20
Chevrolet G20
The Chevrolet G20 was a full-sized van produced by General Motors and for a while became the staple of the North American van fleet.The G20 and its counterparts replaced the original Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Van in the late 60s the model line evolved until it was replaced in 1996 by the...
van; Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley rode in on a real U.S. Army tank. The film premiered in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on Tuesday July 27, before going on general release the next day. The event was attended by the four team members along with Jessica Biel, and the A-Team van.
Critical response
The film received mixed reviews.Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gives the film a normalized score of 47% based on 193 reviews (Top Critics: 46%; RT Community: 75%), with an average score of 5.3/10.
The critical consensus is: For better and for worse, Joe Carnahan's big-screen version of The A-Team captures the superficial, noisy spirit of the TV series.
Review aggregate Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
calculated a weighted average score of 47% based on 37 reviews.
Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly says of the film: "It's trash so compacted it glows". He gives the film a grade of B+.
Richard Corliss of TIME magazine calls the film "the best in a mediocre line-up of summer-action flicks". He goes on to say the film lacks "a coherent plot and complex characterization", though he does note that these qualities "are irrelevant to the genre".
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone magazine calls the film, "big, loud, ludicrous and edited into visual incomprehension," but "pity the fool who lets that stand in the way of enjoying The A-Team". He gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4.
In contrast, Lou Lumenick
Lou Lumenick
Louis J. "Lou" Lumenick is an American film critic. He is the chief film critic and a blogger for the New York Post and has reviewed films there since 1999.-Life and career:Lumenick was born and raised in Astoria, Queens...
of The New York Post, who titled his piece "Pity the fool who sees The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
", is among the most critical, calling the film "overlong, overblown and utterly forgettable."
The Hollywood Reporter criticizes the film's story, character development and logic, calling it "nearly writer-free," whilst The St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
was far more positive, calling the film "literally a blast" from start to finish, and praises it for "containing more thrills than the average shoot-em-up".
Film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of The Chicago Sun Times was especially critical, rating the film just one and a half out of a possible four stars, and said The A-Team is an incomprehensible mess, criticizing the film for being as shallow as the television series, which he describes as "punishment" when drawn out to a two-hour long film.
Stephen Whitty of the Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
complains the film makers remembered little more from the television series than a Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 film directed by Robert Aldrich and released by MGM. It was filmed in England and features an ensemble cast, including Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, and Robert Webber. The film is based on E. M...
gimmick and compares the film to the "awful" Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces is a 2006 crime film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him...
by the same director. He suggests a better plan would be to rent The Losers
The Losers (film)
The Losers is a 2010 American action based on the adaptation of the Vertigo comic book series of the same name by Andy Diggle. Directed by Sylvain White, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans....
or wait for The Expendables
The Expendables (2010 film)
The Expendables is a 2010 American ensemble action film written by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone, and directed by Stallone. Filming began on March 28, 2009, in Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, and the film was released in theaters on August 13, 2010 in North America.The film is...
. He concludes The A-Team is only C-grade.
Comments by original cast
Dirk BenedictDirk Benedict
Dirk Benedict is an American movie, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team television series and Lieutenant Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica film and television series.-Early life:Benedict was born...
, the original Templeton Peck, spoke of regretting his cameo, stating "You'll miss me if you blink. I kind of regret doing it because it's a non-part. They wanted to be able to say, 'Oh yeah, the original cast are in it,' but we're not. It is three seconds. It's kind of insulting."
Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
, the original B. A. Baracus, was offered a cameo, but turned it down. In a 2010 interview with Script magazine director Joe Carnahan reported that Mr. T, after viewing scenes from the film, thought the final product was "the greatest thing in the world". After the premiere of the film Mr. T allegedly stated that he had become disillusioned and felt the story emphasized sex and violence, and that it was unfaithful to the original series. An attorney for Mr. T later stated that the actor had not yet seen the film and could not comment on it.
Dwight Schultz, who played the TV series' "Howling Mad" Murdock, issued a statement to his official fansite that the film "pays homage to the series while it eschews its essential working premise: a band of capable military brothers for hire determined to save underdog and usually poor civilians from scum." However, Schultz did acknowledge that the movie is not faithful to the TV series. "The team characters are sufficiently different and, with so many roles reversed from the original, one could say they are not really derivative, save for their names." He also noted that Sharlto Copley's Murdock "is faithful to the original, but at the same time is big screen twisted and right at home with the new team."
In the psychiatric hospital scene, Reginald Barclay
Reginald Barclay
Lieutenant Reginald Endicott "Broccoli" Barclay III, played by Dwight Schultz, is a recurring character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation...
, Schultz's character from Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, is credited during the opening title of a film, as is L.T. Starbuck, referencing Lieutenant Starbuck
Lieutenant Starbuck
Lieutenant Starbuck of the Colonial Service, played by Dirk Benedict, is a fictional character in the 1978 science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is a Viper starfighter pilot, gambler, womanizer and smoker of "fumerellos," or cigars. He is involved with Lieutenant Athena...
, Benedict's character from the original Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
."
Box office
The film has had an average performance at the box office. It fell slightly short of expectations for its opening weekend, earning $26 million, as opposed to the initially predicted $30–35 million.The film opened behind The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid (2010 film)
The Karate Kid is a 2010 American martial arts film and remake of the 1984 film of the same name. Directed by Harald Zwart, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan...
, which took in $56 million. The film opened in the UK./Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on July 28, 2010, and came at #3 in at the box office with a first weekend haul of $5.6 million. As of August 26, 2010, The A-Team has taken over $77 million at the U.S. box office, and $99 million internationally, for a worldwide total of over $176 million.
Home media
The film was released December 14, 2010 on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27 in Australia and on November 29, 2010 in the UK. An extended cut was also released. Two of the most noteworthy additions in the extended cut were the two cameo scenes of the original Face and Murdock, which were pushed back after the end credits in the original cut due to pacing.
Sequel
Neeson, Cooper, Copley, and Jackson have expressed interest in doing a sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
. Joe Carnahan has expressed interest in directing a sequel and said it will depend on DVD and Blu-ray sales and rentals. On March 10, 2011, Cooper stated that the film had not generated enough revenue for there to be a sequel.