TL;DR: Street Fighter is now showing in Philippine cinemas, including IMAX, and the cast wants you to watch it big. Noah Centineo says it’s “one of those movies that should be seen in an IMAX theater.” Director Kitao Sakurai calls it “the most accurate Street Fighter adaptation ever made.” Jason Momoa says the movie will make you “laugh, and cry, and have a really great time.” Here’s what the cast and director say audiences can expect.
The movie is out, the barkada group chats are busy planning screenings, and Paramount has shared one last pitch from the people who made it. Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, Jason Momoa, Roman Reigns, David Dastmalchian and director Kitao Sakurai each explain why Street Fighter is worth a trip to the cinema. One message keeps coming up: go big.
Noah Centineo: “The seats are going to shake”
Centineo, who plays Ken Masters, is the loudest voice for the premium cinema experience.
“It’s a huge movie. It is so visually stimulating that seeing that on a huge screen is the way to see it,” he says. “The fights are sweaty, and bloody, you want to see that huge, and the sound design, the seats are going to shake. Street Fighter is one of those movies that should be seen in an IMAX theater.”
Kitao Sakurai: “The most accurate Street Fighter adaptation ever made”
The director grew up playing the games, and he says making the film was a chance to relive that childhood feeling.
“As a Japanese-American filmmaker, to have the honor to do Street Fighter makes me feel incredibly proud,” Sakurai says. “To be able to incorporate the feelings I had as a child, to be able to bring to life the aspects of the game that as a fan, you felt in your heart, is exactly what I hope the movie captures.”
He also makes a bold claim: “We’re excited that this is the most accurate Street Fighter adaptation ever made, in terms of the fighting styles, the moves, the costumes and the tone and spirit of the characters.”
Like Centineo, he recommends IMAX or another premium format “for the incredible visuals, and the soundtrack where these needle drops are immersive and banging.”
Andrew Koji: Made for new fans and hardcore fans
Koji, who plays Ryu, says the team made the film for both kinds of audience.
“We all wanted to make sure that not only can we get new fans to love it, but the hardcore fans too,” he says. “There are so many nods we put in there, and we’re bringing a Street Fighter film that has never been done before and hopefully will be remembered for a long time to come.”
Kung isa ka sa mga lumaki sa arcade, keep your eyes open for those nods.
Roman Reigns: “Get lost in this universe”
WWE superstar Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, who plays Akuma, highlights the escapism.
“We’ve done properly what hasn’t been done before, fleshing out a world that so many people of all ages know and love,” he says. “There’s that escapism. You can leave everything behind and get lost in this universe, and we’ve put that on film.”
David Dastmalchian: “It’s going to feel like a roller coaster”
Dastmalchian, who plays Lord M. Bison, promises a wild ride.
“The high-octane action and adventure, the fighting, the comedy, the brutal stuff that is going to just totally shock people,” he says. “Street Fighter is going to feel like a roller coaster, and I can’t wait to see what people look like as the rollercoaster comes in for landing.”
Jason Momoa: “This is my childhood”
Momoa plays Blanka and is also a producer on the film. For him, the project is personal.
“Street Fighter will make you laugh, and cry, and have a really great time. This is my childhood. Street Fighter was everything growing up,” he says. “For existing fans, and new fans, it’s such a diverse world and cast, there’s something for everyone in it.”
Same tayo, Jason. For a lot of Pinoy gamers who spent weekends feeding tokens into a Street Fighter II cabinet, this was our childhood too.
Our review drops at midnight
PinoyGaming.net caught Street Fighter at the premiere screening at SM Megamall IMAX. Our full review goes live at 12:00 AM on Friday, October 16. Abangan!
Street Fighter is rated PG and runs 1 hr 59 min. Now showing in cinemas nationwide, including IMAX.
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/njHI5d6i7sg
Photos: Paramount Pictures