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"STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI" (2009) (Kristin Kreuk, Chris Klein) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Mild Heavy Extreme *Mild Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Heavy *None *Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy None Heavy Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Action: A street fighter, an Interpol agent and a homicide detective join forces to try to stop a ruthless crime boss and his band of warriors from taking over Bangkok. PLOT: Chun-Li Huang (KRISTIN KREUK) always dreamed of being a concert pianist, a goal encouraged by her businessman father, Liu (SIRI SIRIJANE), who also taught her martial arts. Yet, that training wasn't enough as a young girl to prevent crime boss Bison (NEAL McDONOUGH) and his hulking right-hand enforcer, Balrog (MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN), from kidnapping her father for their nefarious means. Years then passed and following the death of her mother, now young adult Chun-Li finds herself listless and gives up her life of privilege, moving to Bangkok where she ends up living off the streets. Her disappearance is a bit troubling to Bison, for he's using her existence to get Liu to deliver important business contacts to him, most of which he has Balrog, assassin Vega (TABOO) or his government contact Cantana (JOSIE HO) dispose of. Having grown up in the slums, Bison's goal is to instill enough fear there to drive down prices and thus allow him to buy the land and property for wholesale and later redevelopment. His actions, however, have not only drawn the interest of gangland detective Maya Sunee (MOON BLOODGOOD), but also Interpol agent Charlie Nash (CHRIS KLEIN), both of whom want to bring him down. Chun-Li has the same goal, and with the tutoring of her new martial arts mentor, Gen (ROBIN SHOU), who was once a criminal alongside Bison but has now converted to good, she hopes to avenge her father being taken away from her. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of martial arts-based films, ones based on video games, and/or anyone in the cast, they might be interested. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For sequences of violence and martial arts action, and some sensuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: KRISTIN KREUK plays a young woman brought up in a life of privilege who transforms from a concert pianist to a street fighter as she sets out to avenge her father's abduction and murder. She uses various martial arts moves and such while battling the various bad guys. NEAL McDONOUGH plays a crime boss who kills all of his competition and then uses his ratcheted-up violence to drive down property values so that he can buy the land at wholesale prices and profit from redevelopment. With no conscience, he's ruthless and efficient. He uses some profanity and drinks a bit. MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN plays his equally ruthless and deadly right-hand man who does most of his lethal work for him. CHRIS KLEIN plays a disheveled and sarcastic Interpol agent who's after Bison and doesn't mind teaming up with the pretty Maya. ROBIN SHOU plays a martial arts mentor who helps train Chun-Li for her battle with Bison and his goons. MOON BLOODGOOD plays the local homicide detective who's prone to wearing cleavage-revealing outfits while working with Charlie to try to bring down Bison. JOSIE HO plays a corrupt government official who's in cahoots with Bison and appears to be sexually attracted to Chun-Li when the latter puts the (faked) moves on her. She briefly drinks. SIRI SIRIJANE plays Chun-Li's father who taught her well at a young age but must then contend with being Bison's working prisoner. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action film that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "s" word (as well as a silent but mouthed "f" word), but only a handful of other expletives and colorful phrases. A woman feigns a lesbian attraction to another woman (including some no-contact, but sensual dancing) only to lure her into her non-sexual trap, while varying amounts of cleavage are present and the camera lingers on various tightly clothed female bodies on a dance floor. An unmarried and non-dating couple briefly make out (as a decoy). Violence consists of people being killed or wounded by various means (including lots of gunfire), while all sorts of brutal martial arts fighting and other such contact also occurs in the film. Some of that has bloody results (not a great deal, although one scene briefly shows various severed heads on a table), while those moments and related potential peril might be unsettling and/or suspenseful to some viewers. The fighting, other stunts and some other behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate, while bad attitudes are present, drinking occurs in several scenes, and tense family material is present (including familial deaths). If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from partial strobe effects in a club, and later from some flicker from a fire. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's a spin-around camera shot during a dancing scene, while varying amounts of camera movement occur at times during the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE A servant asks Liu if he'd like some Montrachet (wine) poured for him, but Liu declines that. Liu uses a bottle of liquor to try to defend himself against an assailant, including igniting the spilled alcohol, partially catching the attacker on fire. Bison raises a glass of champagne, but no other bosses join him. After they're gone, Bison has champagne and wine. Some miscellaneous guys on the street hold beer cans and loudly belch. People have drinks in a club, including Cantana. Charlie pours himself a drink and has a sip before dropping it when someone startles him. Gen knocks out a miscellaneous guy who's holding a bottle of liquor. BLOOD/GORE Charlie and Maya view the severed heads of various crime bosses on a table. We hear what sound like blows being delivered to a punching bag, but then see that it's been Bison punching a strung-up Cantana who's a bit bloody, while some of her blood is also on Bison. Vega has some blood on his face while fighting with Chun-Li. We see Chun-Li's bloody arm (from a gunshot wound), followed by Gen using his magical powers to cause that wound to close and heal to some degree. Steam burns a man's face, leaving it looking quite bad (briefly seen). Both Gen and Chun-Li have some blood on their faces during and after fighting Bison who has blood run from his mouth following the same. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Bison and his goons obviously have bad attitudes for their criminal (including murderous) ways. We briefly see some punks attack a man on the subway, leaving him on the floor of the station. Bison holds Liu as his work prisoner, and keeps him motivated by news about Chun-Li. We see a person hold a handgun to another person's head while robbing them. Some punks on the street pick on a passerby, knocking him to the street where they kick him. Cantana is a corrupt government official of some sort who's in cahoots with Bison, including blackmailing others where there's the threat of harm to their families if they don't comply. Charlie litters in the city. We see a flashback to a younger Bison with his pregnant wife in a cave of some sort where she lies down and he undoes the front of her dress, revealing her bare pregnant belly. We then hear that he used some sort of dark magic to transfer what was left good of him into his unborn child, hear the mother scream, and then see him holding up the newborn daughter (it isn't clear if he killed the mother). For those opposed to supernatural powers, both Gen and Chun-Li use them at several points in the film (but not for evil means). FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and/or "Blood/Gore" may be unsettling and/or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine Guns/Swords/Other martial arts weaponry/Switchblade/RPG launcher/Bomb/Arrow/Steel-clawed appendage: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Sh*t-hole," "This guy's nuts," "Who the hell does he think he is?" "Damn you," "What the hell we doing here?" "Bitch," "Keep spit-balling that," "Shut up," "Say goodnight, baby," "Bitch, I'll cut you" and "Where the hell are you?" The fighting and other stunts might be enticing for some kids to try to imitate. Various characters have spider web tattoos on their hands. We see miscellaneous tattoos. Some miscellaneous guys on the street hold beer cans and loudly belch. Charlie litters in the city. Chun-Li runs and jumps from rooftop to rooftop while also doing somersaults and such. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of suspenseful, ominous, heavily dramatic and action-oriented music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None that we heard, but some songs had lyrics that we couldn't fully hear and/or understand, thus presenting the possibility of them potentially containing something objectionable. PROFANITY At least 1 partial "f" word (visibly mouthed by one character), 1 "s" word, 3 hells and 2 damns. SEX/NUDITY Maya shows a lot of cleavage in a low-cut top, especially when leaning over. The camera goes up Cantana's legs to her outfit that shows cleavage. Charlie passionately kisses Maya while parked in a car doing surveillance (all to throw off Bison's goons from discovering that they're being watched). When they're done, the two don't seem to have minded engaging in that. We see Maya in her bra (that shows cleavage) in front of Charlie as she gets dressed (nothing sexual has occurred as he has just arrived). After she grabs her cuffs, she comments on something else, but suggestively tells Charlie that there's nothing she won't try once. In a club, the camera goes up and down various women's clothed bodies as they dance, while we later see some scantly clad women dancing as entertainment performers. Wanting to entice Cantana (but only to get info out of her), Chun-Li comes on to her in a club, doing some sensual but no-contact dancing with her. Chun-Li then heads off, giving Cantana a come-hither look, with Cantana taking the bait, following her into the ladies room, and locking the door. Nothing else sexual occurs as Chun-Li attacks Cantana for information, but during that fight, Cantana's dress rides up on the floor and we briefly see a partial view of her panties and one garter. Maya shows more cleavage. We see a flashback to a younger Bison with his pregnant wife in a cave of some sort where she lies down and he undoes the front of her dress, revealing her bare pregnant belly (this is not done for sexual purposes and no explicit nudity occurs). SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Young Liu must contend with seeing her father being abducted and her mom being hit while trying to stop that. Adult Chun-Li tells a friend that her mom is not doing well, and we then see her visit her room at home, and she looks quite ill. Not long after that, we see Chun-Li grieving at her mother's headstone of sorts following the mother's unseen death. Bison holds Liu as his work prisoner, and keeps him motivated by news about Chun-Li. There's talk of Bison being orphaned at a young age and then left to die, but that he survived. Chun-Li can't help but watch as Bison kills her father in front of her. We see Chun-Li looking at a headstone of sorts that features the names and photos of her dead parents. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The comment that when people are hungry (literally and figuratively) there's nothing they won't do, and that everyone has a price. Bison's goal is to instill enough fear in the slums to drive down prices and thus allow him to buy the land and property for wholesale and later redevelopment. The comment that anger distracts one's judgment. The comment that life is about choices, with Bison saying he's made his and never looked back. There's talk of Bison being orphaned at a young age and then left to die, but that he survived. The comment that one should stand when standing is not easy. VIOLENCE An arrow fired by Balrog blasts through a window and goes through the fridge door that Liu used to shield himself. Liu then throws a food can that hits Balrog, but that doesn't stop him from hitting Liu, throwing him against a wall, pinning him down on a table and choking him, and kicking a table at him hard enough to go through part of the wall. He avoids other blows and finally hits Balrog, but must fight a number of other assailants who've entered his house. Punches and kicks are delivered and blocked, and he avoids what looks like a baseball bat and such, while he blasts a bottle of liquor back at one, avoids a chain from another, and sets his own arm on fire so that the fire spreads down the alcohol on the chain to the attacker, partially catching him on fire. The men then gain control of Liu, while Balrog grabs young Chun-Li by the arm. As they remove Liu from the house, we see Chun-Li's mom run to try to stop them, hear the sound of her being hit, and then see her on the ground. We briefly see some punks attack a man on the subway, leaving him on the floor of the station. Bison announces to other crime bosses that he's taking over. They're not happy, and we then hear sounds of them being murdered off-camera. We later see some of their severed heads atop a table. We see a person hold a handgun to another person's head while robbing them. Some punks on the street pick on a passerby, knocking him to the street where they kick him. Chun-Li then intervenes, prompting one to pull his switchblade and come at her. She defends herself and delivers various blows (kicks, punches, etc.) to him and the others, while wrapping her feet/legs around one's neck. Having received various blows herself, she overturns some structure onto the last guy before passing out on the street herself. Chun-Li and Gen spar as part of her training. Gen creates an energy ball of some sort and then sends that flying into a wall where it causes some property damage (as part of a demo for Chun-Li). Armed guards shove and drag some people along as they clear the slums that Bison has purchased. We also hear the sounds of machine gun fire, but don't see the actual shooting, so we don't know if those are just warning shots or are being fired at people. Gen has Chun-Li do some blindfolded training where he throws small metal balls that ricochet off things and she catches them. One, however, knocks her toward and nearly into a spinning table saw, while Gen then tries to strike her with a sword, but she catches the blade in her hands. After enticing her into the ladies room, Chun-Li twice bangs Cantana's head against a stall door, followed by them fighting, with both delivering various blows. Chun-Li ends up grabbing and causing Cantana enough pain to make her talk, while the latter's worried bodyguards shoot through the locked door with their handguns to gain entry. Chun-Li flees back into the club where various men repeatedly shoot at her, with her then fighting them and then fleeing once Charlie shows up on the scene. We hear what sound like blows being delivered to a punching bag, but then see that it's been Bison punching a strung-up Cantana who's a bit bloody, while some of her blood is also on Bison. We see a brief flashback showing teenage Bison struggling with a man while robbing him of his goods. We see a flashback to a younger Bison with his pregnant wife in a cave of some sort where she lies down and he undoes the front of her dress, revealing her bare pregnant belly. We then hear that he used some sort of dark magic to transfer what was left good of him into his unborn child, hear the mother scream, and then see him holding up the newborn daughter (it isn't clear if he killed the mother). Armed men rush into Gen's abode, and he fights all of them, martial arts style. Meanwhile, across the way, Balrog grabs an RPG launcher and fires it toward Gen's place, resulting in a huge explosion that presumably kills the assailants and Gen (but he's later seen alive), while Chun-Li is knocked off her feet by the fiery blast. Vega comes after Chun-Li with his steel-clawed appendage, swinging those blades at her and cutting through a chain-link fence in the process, etc. She then heaves a rotary blade at Vega and apparently hits him, followed by jumping and apparently landing on his face. We later see him strung up by his feet. When a dock worker won't give her info, Chun-Li grabs and smashes his head against a table. Various men shoot at Chun-Li with handguns and machine guns in a dockyard at night. She flees from that, jumping down and landing hard on a moving truck. She rolls off that to the ground and is immediately surrounded by armed men. She kicks one of his feet, but Bison then steps down on her hand, stopping her. After allowing them a brief moment to reunite after years of separation, Bison grabs Liu by the head and breaks his neck in front of Chun-Li who's bound to a chair. The order is then given for Chun-Li to die, so two men prepare to kill her, hoisting her up by her feet. She then head-butts one who kicks her backwards, allowing her to start swinging and thus strike and knock out both men. She then flees out onto the street where goons shoot at and then chase her, knocking over various people in their way. Balrog then shoots at Chun-Li who grabs and pulls a boy out of the way, but is hit in the arm herself. Someone then throws a watermelon that hits Balrog on the head, while others pelt other goons with an assortment of items. Charlie spots a bomb and has everyone rush out (he's last out the door) just as it explodes, destroying the room they were in. That's followed by a gun battle (machine guns, handguns) between the good and bad guys (and some women), where various people are hit and wounded or killed, but no blood is viewed. Gen knocks out a miscellaneous guy who's holding a bottle of liquor. Balrog punches Gen and then shoots at him repeatedly. The two then fight, with Gen gaining control and causing Balrog pain, but the latter gets loose, flips Gen back against a wall, and then repeatedly hits him with some sort of large gas canister/tank. Balrog then goes to smash Gen with such a canister, but Gen kicks it back into his face. Balrog stumbles back, burns his hand on something, and Gen stabs something down into him while steam also burns Balrog's face. The gun battle continues, with Maya being hit in the arm (no blood) while others are wounded or killed by the bullets. A person wraps a wire around another man's neck, while Charlie puts his handgun in that second man's mouth to get him to talk. Chun-Li hits a person. Charlie uses a goon as a human shield, taking the bullets from another goon who Charlie then shoots dead. Bison and Gen battle, with the former getting in more hard blows than the latter, including flipping him across the room and down onto a table that breaks beneath Gen. Bison kicks a dead body on the floor and then steps down on another as he walks out. One man hits another to get an entry code out of him. Gen and Bison fight again, with various hard blows delivered and blocked, including Bison knocking Gen back out through a large glass panel. Bison then knocks Gen back, with him landing on a rod of some sort that seems to have impaled him through his leg. Chun-Li then jumps in, kicking Bison and then hitting and trying to hit him with a long pole. She then repeatedly kicks him, but he gains control of the pole and strikes her, including back into some scaffolding. She then causes some heavy bags to fall onto Bison, dazing him, following by creating an energy ball of sorts that she then sends into Bison, knocking him off a platform onto one much lower below. She then jumps down and lands with her feet around his neck, breaking that and presumably killing him. Reviewed February 27, 2009 / Posted February 27, 2009

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