And if you don't know where that line comes from, that's just sad. But before I get into the review of The A-Team, I want to say something. Liam Neeson is a great man and a great actor. And if you didn't know that before, then you should know that now. In 2009, Liam Neeson's wife, Natasha Richardson, died just a few hours after suffering a concussion, which led to a hemorrhage. At the time, Neeson was in Canada filming a movie that came out in the Spring of 2010, Chloe. It's a drama filled with sexual tension and anger and deceit. I didn't see the movie, but from what I've read and seen, that pretty much sums it up. Go here, for a full description if you really want.
Back to the point. Obviously, Liam Neeson could not continue the movie, but as they were in the middle of the shoot, they couldn't reshoot the entire movie with a new actor. Instead, they gave Liam Neeson the time he needed and allowed him to grieve. However, his way of dealing with the grief was to go right back to filming after a brief two weeks with his family. Not only did he finish the movie, Chloe, but he also worked on at least two other big production films - Clash of the Titans and The A-Team. He finished all of these films as he was still grieving over his wife and didn't miss a beat. His performances in each film are driven by his love of the craft and desire to do different kinds of films.
I didn't want to see Clash of the Titans because I had seen the original in the 1980s and didn't want to lose that sense of fantasy and cheesy movie making that was the original film. But The A-Team, that's a different story.
I knew they were making this movie last year. I even followed some of the information, the casting news and plot details. To some reviewers, they were bothered that Hollywood would go and make a movie out of a television show that wasn't that good in the first place. Wasn't good? Hollywood made a movie out of Car 54, Where Are You? That was a better show than The A-Team? Please.
As for the film version of The A-Team, it is more of an origin story. If you don't remember the television show, it was about four Vietnam veterans that were imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit. The movie takes the same premise, but makes the vets of the second Desert Storm, bringing it into today's times. But before it gets to that, we learn how Hannibal, Face, B.A. and Murdock end up as a team and how they meet. It's a clever opening and it works to explain some of the nuances of each character that will be shown throughout the rest of the movie.
There were subtle nods to the original series, including a playing of the original theme song at a certain point which made for a fun sequence. And, two of the stars of the original series had cameos. Of course, you have to wait until after the credits to see them, but they are clever cameos that remind people of those actors when they were younger and having the time of their lives making The A-Team.
Sadly, Mr. T. did not want to participate in a remake of the show because he felt that it was too violent of a film, owing to the fact that despite the amount of guns and ammo that were used on the television show, the most people got was a few scrapes and bruises. Even in an episode where someone was shot, it had been done off screen and before the episode "story" got started. Also, sad is the fact that George Peppard was not around to see this film. He was a great actor on his own and seemed to, at least at the beginning, enjoy the role of Hannibal Smith. From what I understand, had he not died, there had actually been a plan of making The A-Team movie in the late 80s. It would be interesting to see what that movie might have looked like. I think, however, that Peppard would look on Neeson's performance as the well known Colonel and smile, feeling that, while not a direct impersonation of Peppard, he definitely did him homage.
And that is why Liam Neeson is definitely a great actor and a great man.
Until tomorrow.
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