This article contains discussion of characters, plot developments, and other details that may reveal spoilers for Street Fighter. Proceed with caution if you haven’t seen the movie.
Looking back at the movie, which I liked, by the way, I also acknowledge that there were way too many missed opportunities that needed further study. As a big fan of the franchise, I feel a bit of nostalgia when watching this movie. In fact, I still play my favorite Street Fighter game, Street Fighter 4. Fei Long and Dudley are my favorites to play, and I’m looking forward to their return as playable characters if it ever becomes a reality.
As a lifelong fan of the franchise, with a bit of nostalgia involved, I can definitely understand why some fans were tremendously upset about it, including the character inconsistencies and lore inconsistencies.
A Tone That Misses Street Fighter’s Serious Side
Let’s start with the obvious. I’m sure you don’t need an arts degree to know this, but the tone was off. Street Fighter, because of its animated-style graphics, may seem cartoonish, especially in its early days in the 1990s, but it’s very serious.
The characters have tragic pasts that shaped who they are, including the villains. Sagat, the Muay Thai fighter, joined because of his devastating loss to Ryu, who defeated him in the first world tournament. Ken, as a way to cool down, was sent to a martial arts school where he would eventually study alongside Ryu, and they became like true brothers.
Cammy: A Missed Opportunity for Character Accuracy
Cammy, in the movie, was presented as an out-of-control minion who never even had a single fight sequence. She should’ve been cool and collected, with the efficiency of chaos. After being freed from M. Bison’s control, she joined a British special forces unit known as Delta Red. Knowing this lore, a fan would’ve been annoyed by her constant attempts to be wild and funny.
Don’t get me wrong, the actress who played her was only doing what she was instructed to do. The actress who played her in the movie, Mel Jarnson, is more than capable of representing the true Cammy.
The Absence of a Love Story
In the anime, Street Fighter 2 Voyage, there are hints of a bit of romance between Chun Li and Ken. While the love story shouldn’t be the main goal, the fact that Chun Li could possibly fall for someone presents her as someone vulnerable to emotions and, therefore, more human. Even through the toughness and chaos, she’s just a woman, after all.
If there was one character the writers got right—well, sort of—it was her. They kept her storyline consistent with canon. They put time and effort into the dress. Callina Liang was absolutely born to play the role.
Dan Hibiki: A More Prominent Role
When I say that Dan Hibiki’s character development was underused, I mean that with an exclamation point. This was the biggest missed opportunity of all. According to Street Fighter lore, Dan Hibiki was also a student of Gouken, the master of Ryu and Ken. He was kicked out by his master when his master found out what he wanted. The movie did briefly mention that. It’s, however, not known, even in SF lore, whether they necessarily trained together. This is one of the openings that writers could’ve played around with, and fans wouldn’t have been too upset over it.
In the games, Dan’s presented as a joke character. He’s got an outgoing personality, which the same actor, Andrew Shulz, could’ve portrayed rather well. Underneath it all, he’s got vengeance in his heart.
With him having lost his father, Go Hibiki, and with his former master, whom he still recognizes as his master, now dead, he should’ve been given an opportunity to move his character forward. Possibly, his former master could’ve offered, before his death, to take him back as his student if he proved himself, became selfless, and protected his brothers, Ken and Ryu, from themselves.
This would’ve been believable because, in Street Fighter lore, Dan Hibiki never finished his training, leading him to create his own technique, the Saikyo-ryu, a style derived from what he learned from Gouken.
Why Dan Would Stay by Ken’s Side
Dan Hibiki should’ve been the golden goose that made the story stronger. This could explain why he’s so clingy with Ken, at least, going as far as becoming his agent. He could’ve been motivated in more ways than one to stay with Ken.
For one, since he never actually finished his training, he could’ve learned more from Ken, who spent a lot more time with the master. He could be Ken’s friend but also have a motivation to learn from him.
As to why he’d choose Ken over Ryu, well, that could’ve been open to interpretation. One possibility I would’ve explored if I were writing the script is that Dan had to choose one or the other and chose to be closer to Ken because he was more accessible. Ken’s celebrity status made him more approachable compared to Ryu, a loner who wanders around the world. Knowing that Ken and Ryu are bound by fate, the simplest choice was to choose Ken since Ryu would definitely reappear in Ken’s life sooner or later.
A Stronger Introduction for Dan
The way I would’ve introduced Dan’s character is to have him be a spectator in the World Warrior tournament to get revenge for his father, who died at the hands of Sagat in a previous fight in which his father injured Sagat’s eye. He should’ve been directly by Ken’s side, furious, watching, on the verge of breaking down. When Sagat gets defeated by Ryu, Dan charges to stomp on Sagat further, trying to get revenge for his father. This act would’ve scared Gouken, his master, prompting him to say,
“This is not what I teach.”
Dan, being hell-bent on revenge, then gets kicked out by Gouken. Ken comforts him, and there, their friendship grows deeper, like brothers despite Dan being disowned by the master. This would’ve made it clear from the beginning that Dan was going to play a big role in Ken’s life.
Just like any student, Dan would’ve jumped at the opportunity to redeem himself in his master’s eyes, which includes the responsibility of taking care of his brothers, Ken and Ryu. He may have an outgoing personality to hide the pain within him. That could’ve been a twist that’s acceptable.
Street Fighter: Protagonist Confusion
As a screenwriting student, I was taught to always establish the main character. In other words, whose journey are we following? The movie didn’t do that.
It was confusing whether Ken or Ryu was the main character, or even whether the movie was about Chun Li. It was downright confusing. Though the story is simple, knowing whose story it was became confusing. I kept switching. Well, it’s Ken’s story. Well, it’s Ryu’s. Wait a minute, is it Chun Li’s story now?
Ryu’s Inner Battle Should Lead the Story
This is an important arc here.
Overall, this should’ve been Ryu’s story, rather than seemingly appearing to be Ken’s or Chun Li’s. Yes, they can have screen time and a lot of it, but the battle within Ryu should’ve been the main story. The movie attempts to do that, but it’s easily forgotten through the noise. That’s why some people complain about weak and unfocused storytelling.
The complete surrender to nothingness and mastery of oneself were the goals, and for Ryu to surrender to the Satsui no Hado just to defeat Akuma practically means he’s lost the journey and has failed the teachings of his beloved master.
Evil Ryu may or may not be part of SF lore, and he was meant as a depiction of what Ryu could be if he surrendered to the Satsui no Hado. They could’ve chosen not to make it part of the story altogether and had Ryu defeat him without surrendering to it. The ending would’ve been more satisfying. Let’s face it, part of the reason why the movie is underperforming is that the fans are being overly critical.
M. Bison’s Weak Representation
M. Bison, according to Lore, was the epitome of fear. By the second World Warrior tournament, Bison had already mastered Psycho Power. Real fans who know SF lore know this, but in the movie, they decided to depict him as a weakling dressed in a cape.
There was also a missed opportunity with his character. M. Bison’s weakness is that his body is unable to consistently host the Psycho Power he possesses. Hence, he constantly tries to find clones of himself. This is where the writers could’ve found an opening to put a spin on things.
What if M. Bison, for the first time, discovers that there’s an individual who is more powerful than himself? Rather than making Bison a weak character, they could’ve made him a strong character who hungers for more power. He grows intrigued by Akuma, possibly making him the solution to his age-old problem of not finding a suitable host for his Psycho Power.
When Ryu defeats Akuma, Bison takes the opportunity to take Akuma to study him further. Then, it ends like the writers wanted it to. This keeps true to Street Fighter lore and keeps M. Bison a powerful and feared figure without making him appear weak, but rather strong, feared, and hunger for more power.
Making M. Bison look weak takes away from the experience for fans who take these characters seriously. I don’t know why the movie had to be this unserious, but the director did give some clues.
According to IGN’s report on his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Kitao Sakurai explained that Legendary wanted an absurd, exaggerated approach rather than a dark, grounded adaptation. He credited producer Cale Boyter with pushing for that direction, which also fit his own love of comedy and high-energy filmmaking.
So, this wasn’t simply the studio forcing comedy on a director who wanted something else. They were on the same page. I can understand that choice, but for me, it still doesn’t explain why the characters had to lose so much of what made them compelling in the first place.
Key Takeaways: Street Fighter Movie Analysis
• Overall perspective: I enjoyed the Street Fighter movie, but as a longtime fan, I see missed opportunities in its tone, character development, and storytelling.
• Comedy and character depth: For me, Street Fighter’s exaggerated visual style doesn’t mean its characters should lose their serious motivation or emotional stakes.
• Cammy and Chun Li: I argue that Cammy needed a more controlled portrayal and meaningful action, while Chun Li’s characterization offered stronger connections to the franchise.
• Dan Hibiki’s potential: My proposed storyline gives Dan a larger role through his desire for revenge, his connection to Gouken, and his friendship with Ken. These are suggested changes, not descriptions of scenes in the movie.
• Ryu as the central protagonist: I believe Ryu’s struggle with the Satsui no Hado and pursuit of self-mastery should anchor the story, with Ken and Chun Li supporting that journey.
• M. Bison and Akuma: My proposed alternative keeps M. Bison threatening by making his interest in Akuma part of his pursuit of greater power, rather than weakening his presence.
• My main takeaway: Comedy can be part of a Street Fighter adaptation, but I don’t think it should come at the expense of compelling characters and a focused central story.
%20(1).jpg)
_signing.jpg)
0 Comments