In Street Fighter, Writer and Director Kitao Sakurai flashed back in animation to 1987, in the World Warrior Tournament. Ryu, played by Andrew Koji, summoned the powerful darkness inside himself and defeated his opponent to become the GOAT. His Sensei Gouken, played by wise, compassionate Dan Lee, had guided Ryu in controlling his darkness within.
Gouken’s vengeful little brother Akuma, played by powerful charismatic Roman Reigns, arrived and killed him. Akuma dared Ryu to harness his dark power and kill him with his generated fireball. Ryu refused to avenge his Sensei, his surrogate father. Thus, Akuma escaped. Ken, played by Noah Centineo, Ryu’s training partner and surrogate brother witnessed all. Before Gouken died, Ken promised him that he would protect Ryu from himself.
Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” The way of the warrior. The never-ending journey of the martial artist in screenplay by Kitao Sakurai and TJ Fix based on the mythology of the Street Fighter video game. Although narratively clumsy at times, Director Kitao Sakurai adeptly navigates that path.
Back in live action, in 1993, Chun-Li, played by beautiful strong Callina Liang, charged by Master Bison, played with odd malevolence by David Dastmalchian, assembles the world’s greatest warriors for combat in the World Warrior Tournament.
Blonde maned, ripped Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) is the Bad Boy Martial Arts Celebrity on MTV. Gouken student Dan Hibiki, played by smart ass funny Andrew Schulz, is his manager. Seeking to control his demons within, Ryu (Andrew Koji), is a street noodle vendor living in isolation. Chun-li locates both men and invites them to the Tournament. Ryu tells Chun-li that he no longer fights. However, he sees the Tournament as the possibility to complete his relationship with estranged brother Ken.
In the sideways background narrative, Bison’s World Warrior Tournament, is merely a façade to capture the World’s Greatest Warriors so that Bison can transfer their powers to himself. I believe that’s also the narrative of the Street Fighter game. That’s a little silly. Rather, that has not much to do with Way of the Warrior.
In context, the great weakness of Street Fighter is Bison, particularly in David Dastmalchian’s performance. His Bison comes off as fetished blustering goof. He’s more joke than threat. He has designs on beautiful Chun-li. Fortunately, martial artist Chun-li is the federal agent tasked to take him down.
Street Fighter faulters having way too many characters from the Street Fighter Game Universe. Understandably, Kitao Sakurai and TJ Fix don’t want to alienate fan favorites. Of the Street Fighter crew, Jason Momoa’s CGI giant werewolf-like Blanka stands out with gravitas and heart.
Blanka and Ryu brutally fight. Blanka watched Bison kill his Mother when he was a child. He lives with that great pain inside. Blanka says that Ryu runs from what’s inside him. That landed for me. In some way, at some time, we run away from our fear. Instead of letting it go.
Street Fighter wants to be the great martial arts movie, based on a video game with larger-than-life characters. For the most part, there are no signature martial arts fight scenes with or without CGI. Charismatic handsome Andrew Koji and handsome hysterical Noah Centineo as Ryu and Ken transform the ridiculous chaos into something worthy. Andrew Koji is a great martial artist, perhaps a better understated actor. Noah Centineo has great physicality and a whacked sense of humor. Their visceral screen chemistry propels the movie through some of its narrative incoherence. In the climatic narrative arc, the brothers viciously trade blows in the streets.
World Champion Ryu confessed to Ken, “I was jealous!” He said, “I was envious of you.” The great darkness he held inside. Ken cried, “All my life, I thought I wasn’t good enough.” Both Ryu and Ken feared inside, “I’m not good enough.” In many ways, that’s the great darkness inside all of us.
In Street Fighter, Ryu and Ken let go their fear inside and become as great as they can be. The Way of the Warrior. We are our greatest opponent, our greatest enemy. We overcome ourselves, not others. That makes Street Fighter worthy.
