The A-Team

Based on the campy 1980s TV series centered on a ragtag quartet of Army Rangers who become soldiers-of-fortune after a miscarriage of military justice forces them to go rogue, this testosterone-fueled action comedy features wisecracking misfits causing mindless mayhem. Assembled in Sonora, Mexico, the A-Team consists of gruff Col. John “Hannibal” Smith (Liam Neeson), cocky con man Templeton “Face” Peck (Bradley Cooper), mentally unhinged pilot H.M. “Howlin' Mad” Murdock (Sharlto Copley) and muscular mohawk-wearing B.A. (for Bad Attitude) Baracus (Quinto “Rampage” Jackson). Eight years and 80 successful missions later, the team takes an assignment—during the American invasion of Iraq—from Gen. Morrison (Gerald McRaney) to liberate a billion dollars in counterfeit U.S. currency in Baghdad, along with the printing plates used to manufacture it. But who the “enemy” is isn't as clear, as intergovernmental rivalries spur convoluted double crosses involving slick ‘n' sneaky CIA operative Lynch (Patrick Wilson), and Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel), who's not only a captain in the Defense Criminal Investigation Service but also Peck's former flame. Director Joe Carnahan serves up adrenaline rushes and/or explosives to create repetitive scenes that studiously avoid both credibility and character development. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include both the theatrical and extended versions of the film, audio commentary by director Joe Carnahan, the “A-Team Theme Mash-Up Montage” (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are “The Devil's in the Details” picture-in-picture behind-the-scenes track featuring Carnahan, a “Plan of Attack” making-of featurette (29 min.), “Character Chronicles” segments (23 min. total), deleted scenes (10 min.), a gag reel (7 min.), visual effects comparisons (6 min.), a bonus digital copy of the film, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a loud but empty film.] (S. Granger)