Street Fighter Alpha: Generations

This well-made but thoroughly unnecessary prequel to the popular anime landmark Street Fighter Alpha backpedals the story to the alleged early days of its main characters. Here, viewers will discover how the excessively muscular hero Ryu rose from the world of street brawling, gained his martial arts skills, and first encountered his arch-nemesis Gouki (also known as Akuma). Part of Ryu's training involves overcoming the power of the Dark Hadou, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the Dark Side that consumed a certain young Jedi trainee in another popular franchise. While the production is stylish and the fight sequences are masterworks of artistic violence, Generations only runs 45 minutes—and what's the point of rewriting the Street Fighter Alpha legend if the story can't even be stretched to a full hour? Suitable for ages 13-up, this dual-language disc features behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. Not a necessary purchase. Aud: P. (P. Hall)