Streetfighter - Legend of Chun Li

[doug maverick]

My wife would not be cool with me offering my services.

see simon if you had game you would talk your wife into offering up her services, while you watch or join in. ok this thread is getting way way to dirty.

[SimonM]

What was your first clue?

[Zenshiite]

Wow... that was quite the turn.

[doug maverick]

well just a small announcement. this movie to no surprise to anyone flopped big time. making only 4.5 million, those were probably just the lil smallville fan boys.

[Zenshiite]

You mean this movie opened this weekend? Huh... didn't even realize.

[GeneChing]

Coming in at #8, Chun-Li is barely in the game...

1 Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail
2 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
3 Slumdog Millionaire
4 Taken
5 He's Just Not That Into You
6 Paul Blart: Mall Cop
7 Coraline Focus
8 Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li

Kreuk brings girl power to 'Street Fighter' flick

Girl power. You don't see it often in martial-arts films, unless they're imported from Asia. But "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" delivers it in huge doses and with an American actress.

In the title role of Chun-Li is Kristin Kreuk, a pert face with a body that handles the rough stuff and, when it can't, a director and editor who know how to integrate the stunt doubles seamlessly into the film.

As a child, Chun-Li has been trained in the martial arts by her father, a man whose business is mysterious and who is spirited away from home one day. After years of believing him dead, she is drawn back to Bangkok, where it appears he is held captive. She links with a martial-arts expert who formerly worked for the villain (steely, piercing blue-eyed Neal McDonough, a Syracuse University drama graduate).

Chun-Li also is aided by Interpol agent Nash (an almost unrecognizable Chris Klein of the "American Pie" franchise) and his cop detective partner. This duo isn't really necessary for the transfer of the video game to the big screen. But it also doesn't kill the adventure, just slows it down.

"a pert face with a body that handles the rough stuff" yea, you boys just run with that...

[GeneChing]

"Why should anyone go see 'Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li'?" That's the question we're all asking...

Black Eyed Peas' Taboo Talks 'Street Fighter'
Posted Feb 27th 2009 3:28PM by Wilson Morales
Filed under: It's All Reel, Entertainment

Coming out this week is the film inspired by the video game. It features Taboo (Jaime Gomez) as the assassin Vega. The Black Eyed Peas member is no stranger to the film world, having done smaller roles in films such as 2005's 'Dirty' with Cuba Gooding, Jr. and 2007's 'Cosmic Radio' with Michael Madsen. This is by far his biggest role to date.

In the film, female fighter Chun-Li (Kristin Kreuk) embarks on a quest for justice and encounters Vega in one amazing fight scene.

Also starring in the film are Michael Clarke Duncan, Neal McDonough, Chris Klein, Moon Bloodgood, Edmund Chen, Cheng Pei Pei, Josie Ho and Robin Shou.

Taboo recently spoke to Black Voices about his role in the film and his upcoming album.

How did the role come about for you?

Taboo: I actually auditioned for it. My agent had informed me that there was an opportunity for me to be in the film. Like other actors, we audition for roles and try not to think about it. It's up to the casting people. I find that you can give a great performance, but it may not be what they are looking for. It's visual and imagery as well that come into play. So, I didn't think about it, and then six or seven months later, I get a call letting me know that I would be going to Thailand to play the role of Vega.

How much did you know about the video game?

Taboo: Growing up as a kid, I always loved anything that dealt with martial arts, whether it was video games like Street fighter, Tekken or Mortal Kombat or black belt theater like ninja and Bruce Lee films. Everything that encompasses martial arts, I was a part of it. I took Tae Kwon Do when I was 12 years old. For those who don't know, I've always thrown some martial arts form in the videos or on stage when we performed.

What inspired you to go out for this?

Taboo: We have a lot of Latinos in the martial arts world, but we are not represented on the big screen. We have artists, musicians and actors who have been talked about, but no martial arts guys. I want to change that.

What's your favorite martial arts film?

Taboo: My favorite martial arts film is 'The Master of the Flying Guillotine.'

How was wearing the costume?

Taboo: It was amazing. They molded my face before I went to Thailand, and it was pretty amazing to have 17 different masks to choose from. I also had this Spanish sword, and every time I put the mask on with it, I became Vega.

How long did you train for the fight scenes?

Taboo: I trained for two months before we shot the scene with my trainer. When we started to shoot the scene, the stunt coordinator walked me through every step. He was a bit patient with me because this is my first major action film. He took his time, and I appreciated that because he's a master at his profession. He's worked on 'The Matrix' with Keanu Reeves, 'Romeo Must Die' and countless Jet Li films. Just to learn from him was a thrilling experience.

Although you don't have scenes with everyone, how was working with the cast on this film?

Taboo: Hands down, a great cast. Most of my scenes were with Kristin Kreuk, but being at the press junket, I was able to meet Chris Klein and Michael Clarke Duncan, who had came to one of my concerts before we shot the film just to meet me. The cast was great, and I'm looking forward to doing more films.

This is a big year for you and another band mate, Will.i.am, who's appearing in the 'Wolverine' film this summer.

Taboo: For me, I've always been in the martial arts world, so it was an easy transition, and I always knew this was something I wanted to do. With Will.i.am's situation, he landed a big role with the X-Men film, and I'm so proud of him. He also did a voice-over in the 'Madagascar' sequel. I actually encouraged him and the rest of the band to get into acting. I went to acting school for three years. I didn't come out with a solo record, because I knew this film was coming out, and also if the Peas could come out with another record, and I could piggyback on that, in terms of financing my solo projects, then I could do more films and work on the soundtrack.

What's next for you?

Taboo: I have the new Black Eyed Peas album coming out on June 9, and it's titled 'The E.N.D.' It's an acronym for 'The Energy Never Dies,' but it doesn't signify the end of the group.

What's different from the last album?

Taboo: There's the personal experiences that we had individually, such as Fergie going out and succeeding with 'The Duchess' record, and Will.i.am doing the 'Yes I Can' campaign, me doing the film and Apl.de.ap doing his thing in the Philippines. We're putting what we did away into the next record. Also, there's more for the club bangers with dance music. It's more of the 'Let's Get It Started' atmosphere. Also, me and my wife are expecting a child on July 25. I am a full-time parent now, and once the album comes, I'll be back into Peas mode.

Why should anyone go see 'Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li'?

Taboo: You have to go see the film because Kristin Kreuk is a rising superstar. Although most people know her from 'Smallville,' in this film, she takes no prisoners. This film is also nothing in comparison to the first film with Jean-Claude Van Damme. No disrespect to that film, but that movie was cheesy and cornball, so people were tainted with the 'Street Fighter' name. Raul Julia was an amazing actor and, hands down, he was brilliant, but in this film, Vega is much more menacing and not comical. The martial arts sequences are incredible, and I look forward to the second one.

[Exadon]

Street Fighter: The legend of Chung li

Seems like it got crap reiviews. Has anyone seen this movie and can say if the Movie is as bas as the reviews make it out to be?

[SimonM]

Look 6 subject headings down.

You don't even NEED the search function for this one.

Can we get a merge up in here?

[AdrianK]

This film is also nothing in comparison to the first film with Jean-Claude Van Damme.

I agree. The first film was much better. Bad as that movie was, it actually paid homage to the fans with numerous tie-ins to the game. In this movie we got, what? Chun Li, Charlie(WTF??? Horrible character to begin with. Horrible acting. Horrible dialogue. Horrible everything.), Gen(Robin Shou was awesome though, aside from the corny fireballs they added in), an M. Bison who was nowhere near as great as Raul Julia(though admittedly, Raul Julia was too great of an actor to be easily replaced), a Balrog who was a slugger and not a boxer, and a Rose who did absolutely nothing.

Not to mention, Vega was a crappy imitation ninja, instead of a proud spanish bullfighter. He looked absolutely nothing like his character in the games. They even got the **** claw, wrong.

[SimonM]

And the headlining stars are a TV starlet (pretty but rather talentless) and Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas....

[WinterPalm]

Maybe they'll make a sequel and Sanjuro will direct it and we'll see that arse smashing.

[GeneChing]

...I thought she was quite good as Snow White. Maybe she should be cast as Snow and the Seven. Plus she's hapa, and I have a soft spot for hapa because I'm one too.

I see why Craig went with Robin for his review. He always tries to be kind that way.

And I have to confess, Taboo being in it makes me want to see it more.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Maybe they'll make a sequel and Sanjuro will direct it and we'll see that arse smashing.

They couldn't afford my salary

[Shaolinlueb]

i am going to see this. just because.