The A-Team (2010)

First working together on a mission in Mexico, Colonel Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson), Templeton 'Faceman' Peck (Bradley Cooper), Bosco 'BA' Barracus (Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson) and Howling Mad Murdoch (Sharlto Copley) are an elite fighting force based in Iraq. Sent by CIA agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson) to recover a set of US Treasury plates and counterfeit cash from Iraqi insurgents, the team find themselves in hot water when an explosion appears to destroy the plates and their general (Gerald McRaney).

Wrongly blamed for the incident, the men wind up in prison in Germany where Lynch offers to help them escape and hunt down the plates. With security firm Black Forest their main suspects, the men seek out head honcho Pike (Brian Bloom), as, in turn, Faceman's former girlfriend Lt Sosa (Jessica Biel) tracks them. Using their remarkable military skills and a lot of improvisation to stay one step ahead of the law, Hannibal's team discover that there's far more to the counterfeit plot than they anticipated.

It's been a long time coming, but the movie version of the beloved Eighties' TV show is finally here and it ticks all the relevant boxes. Directed by action maestro Joe Carnahan, it's a suitably OTT ride that tops the original series in the set piece stakes while capturing just enough of its silly charm. For the most part the cast create reasonable facsimiles of the iconic characters, with District 9's Copley particularly entertaining as the unhinged helicopter pilot.

It's a shame that UFC star Jackson doesn't have an ounce of the charisma that Mr T brought to the role of BA, his shaky dialogue delivery not helping matters. Then again, the film barrels along at such a pace and with such good-natured chutzpah that nuances such as performance and coherent plotting hardly matter. Gleefully nonsensical and breathlessly exciting, The A-Team's plan doesn't fully come together, but as a boy's own adventure, it's hard to beat.