Street Fighter: Fight Night, Minus the Focus

Some films ask you to think. Street Fighter asks you to stand up, throw a fireball at the screen, and shout the move name at the top of your voice. This 2026 reboot knows exactly which kind of film it is, and it never apologises for it.

Insert Coin, Enter 1993

The story is set in 1993, the golden age of the arcade. Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) were once inseparable training partners. Now they are estranged, still carrying the grief of losing their mentor, Gouken. Then the enigmatic Chun-Li (Callina Liang) turns up with an invitation to a new World Warrior Tournament. Behind the glory lies a conspiracy, and at its centre sits the villainous M. Bison, played by David Dastmalchian.

It’s a simple setup, and the film is at its best while it stays simple.

A Love Letter in Neon

Where the film wins is in how it looks. The costumes are loud, the hairstyles are unmistakable, and the characters are gloriously exaggerated, just as they were on those flickering cabinets. The fight scenes give fans what they came for, with the Hadouken and the Shoryuken both getting proper big-screen moments.

The real surprise is the stylised 2D anime-inspired sequences, made with the animation studio Titmouse. They break up the live action with bursts of colour and invention, and they are some of the most memorable stretches of the film.

The Fighters

Andrew Koji gives Ryu a quiet weight and a believable physical presence, which keeps the emotional core of the film steady. Noah Centineo is a delight as Ken, mixing swagger, insecurity and comic timing into a character you can’t help rooting for. Dastmalchian goes gloriously big as Bison, and the film is better for it.

The supporting roster is the star-studded kind: Jason Momoa, Cody Rhodes, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Roman Reigns, Orville Peck and Vidyut Jammwal. Indian audiences will cheer for Jammwal’s presence in particular. The catch is that so many faces fight for so little screen time, and several of them barely get a moment to land.

Where the Combo Breaks

For all its energy, the film runs out of steam. The first act is sharp and promising. Then the plot starts piling up with extra subplots, thinly drawn characters and sudden shifts in mood. One moment you’re in a sincere martial-arts drama about grief and legacy, and the next the film lurches into silly, juvenile gags. It never settles into a rhythm.

The second half feels like a fighter who threw everything into round one. The long runtime doesn’t help, and a sequel-baiting ending leaves the story feeling like a setup for a film that doesn’t exist yet.

Critics vs. Fans

The reception so far is split. Critics have applauded the visual flair and the obvious affection for the games, but they’ve taken swings at the screenplay and the humour. Early audiences are much kinder, which suggests fans are happy to forgive the excess in exchange for the spectacle.

The Verdict

Street Fighter is not a polished, tightly plotted action drama, and it was never trying to be one. It’s a boisterous celebration of a gaming legend, with bright colours, loud fights and a hefty helping of nostalgia. The storytelling stumbles, but the spirit is right, and the punches land often enough to keep you grinning.

Go if: you grew up around arcade machines, or you simply want a loud, colourful night out.
Skip if: you want a script as sharp as the choreography.

Rating: 3/5, with an extra half-star for every fan who yells “Hadouken!” in the cinema.