| The A-Team (2010 film) | |
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 "The A-Team" film poster logo | |
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Produced by: |
Tony Scott, Spike Seldin, Jules Daly, Alex Young Iain Smith, Ridley Scott and Stephen J. Cannell |
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Director: |
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Starring: |
Liam Neeson |
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Running time: |
117 minutes |
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Date released: |
June 11, 2010 |
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Studio: |
Dune Entertainment |
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Country/Language |
U.S./English |
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Distributed by: |
20th Century Fox Studios |
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Budget/Box office gross |
$110 million/$177,238,796[1] |
The A-Team is a 2010 American action film based on the television series of the same name created by Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell. Co-written and directed by Joe Carnahan, the film stars Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson, and Brian Bloom. The film tells the story "The A-Team", a Special Forces team imprisoned for a crime they did not commit, who escape and set out to clear their names. The film was produced by Stephen J. Cannell,[2] Ridley Scott, and Tony Scott.[3][4]
Plot summary[]
John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam Neeson) is held captive in Mexico by two corrupt Mexican police officers working for the renegade General Javier Tuco (Yul Vazquez). Hannibal escapes and sets out to rescue Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Bradley Cooper), who is held captive at Tuco's ranch. Hannibal saves Face after enlisting fellow Ranger Bosco (B.A.) Baracus (Quinton Jackson), driving to the rescue in B.A.'s modified GMC Vandura van. Pursued by Tuco, they stop at a nearby Army Hospital to recruit the services of eccentric pilot H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley). They flee in a medical helicopter, chased by Tuco, in a dogfight that leaves B.A. with a fear of flying. The battle ends when they lure Tuco's helicopter into American airspace, where it is destroyed by a U.S. F-22 Raptor, all according to Hannibal's plan.
The film cuts forward to "8 years . . . and 80 successful missions later." The Team is a highly regarded elite Special Forces unit stationed in Iraq. Hannibal is contacted by CIA Special Activities Division Agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson), who reveals that Iraqi insurgents possess U.S. Treasury plates that could be used to counterfeit U.S. currency. Lynch wants The Team to retrieve the plates and over $1 billion in cash that is due to be moved out of Baghdad in a heavily protected armored convoy. Face's former lover Defense Criminal Investigative Service Capt. Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel) arrives and warns him to stay away from the plates. Against the advice of his Commanding Officer, Major General Russell Morrison (Gerald McRaney), Hannibal agrees to steal the plates in an unofficial black ops mission. The mission is successful; but, when the team returns to base, the money, plates, and Morrison's vehicle are destroyed by Brock Pike (Brian Bloom) and his men from the private security firm Black Forest. Without Morrison, the only proof that they were authorized to act, the team is sentenced to ten years in prison and dishonorably discharged.
Six months later, Lynch, who "comes from a long line of Lynches", visits Hannibal in prison and tells him that Pike may be trying to sell the plates with the help of an Arab backer. Hannibal, who has been tracking Pike on his own, makes a deal with Lynch: full reinstatement and clean records for his team in return for the plates. Lynch agrees, and Hannibal escapes prison by appearing to be dead and barely escapes being cremated. Hannibal then breaks out Face, B.A., and Murdock. In a slight hitch, B.A. has turned to pacifism and refuses to kill or hurt anyone. By now, Lt. Sosa, who holds a grudge against the team for disregarding her warning and getting her demoted, is hot on The Team's trail. Under the belief they are working with Pike, she tries to head them off in a military Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, firing on them as they flee. The plane is destroyed by two remote-piloted drone fighters, but the team escapes inside the body of a tank on parachutes.
Sosa locates an image that puts Lynch at the scene of the crime and calls him. Lynch's secretary informs Lynch that Sosa is calling him. When Lynch orders her to leave, he is asked why he has her. He says "She has a terrific personality." However, it is evident that it is because she has a large bottom. Sosa tells Lynch that he could be arrested if he is aiding and abiding.
The Team tracks Pike and launches an offensive to reclaim the plates and kidnap Pike's backer. They learn that the backer is actually General Morrison. He worked with Lynch and Pike to steal the plates but then teamed up with Pike to double-cross Lynch and fake his death. When Lynch learns the team has Morrison, he orders an air strike. The A-Team flees, but General Morrison dies.
Face hatches the next plan. Knowing Lynch is tapping her phone, Hannibal arranges to meet still-Lt. Sosa on board a container ship at the Los Angeles docks, saying he will hand over Morrison and the plates in exchange for his freedom. Face then calls Sosa on a drop phone he planted her at the airport, and conspires a different plan with her. It all unfolds according to plan until Pike blows up the docks on the boats and chases Face to near death until Bosco gives up his pacifist ways and kills Pike, saving Face. Hannibal leads Lynch into a dock where he reveals Morrison is dead, being portrayed by Murdock, and tricking Lynch into admitting it all. The plan works: Pike is killed, Lynch is taken into custody, and the plates are recovered. The CIA comes and claims custody of Lynch, getting him off the hook. Despite their success, The Team is arrested for escaping from prison, even though they recovered the stolen plates and cleared their names. Sosa is reinstated to Captain, but she promises to do all she can to set them free and kisses Face as he is led into a prison van. In the van, Face opens his mouth and reveals the key, given to him by Sosa through the kiss. "I love it when a plan comes together!" he crows as his teammates laugh.
The film closes with narration reminiscent of the original television series' opening credits, stating that The Team now live as soldiers of fortune.
Cast[]
- Liam Neeson as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith
- Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton "Face" Peck
- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as Cpl. Bosco "B. A." (Bad Attitude) Baracus
- Sharlto Copley as Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock
- Jessica Biel as Charissa Sosa [5]
- Patrick Wilson as Agent Vance Burress a.k.a. Agent Lynch
- Brian Bloom as Brock Pike. Bloom was also a writer on the film.
- Gerald McRaney as General Russell Morrison
- Jon Hamm as Lynch (uncredited)
- Terry Chen as Ravech
- C. Ernst Harth as Crematorium Attendant
- Corey Burton as Narrator
- Yul Vazquez as General Javier Tuco
Film post-credits[]
In the post-credits scene, Face walks into the tanning bed in prison, asking the man emerging how to protect his face. The man (Dirk Benedict) replies: "You don't mess with it, kid." Next, Murdock receives electro-shock therapy, while two doctors look on. As he seems to be enjoying it, one of them (Dwight Schultz) says "This guy, Murdock, is nuts."
References[]
- ↑ The A-Team box office info at The Numbers website
- ↑ A-Team Hopes to Bring "A" Game to Silver Screen, Yahoo! TV article, accessed 2/5/2014.
- ↑ Ridley Scott to remake The A-Team, by BBC News Online, 2009-01-28, first accessed 2009-10-09.
- ↑ Fox assembles 'A-Team', 2009-01-27, by Michael Fleming, Variety magazine article, originally accessed 2009-10-09.
- ↑ EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Biel Reveals New Details About Her 'A-Team' Character by Jocelyn Vena, MTV Movies Blog, published by Viacom, 2009-10-16 (Video)
External links[]
- The A-Team at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
- The A-Team at The Numbers
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