Street Figher: The Legend of Chun-Li

PG-13 for sequences of violence and martial arts action, and some sensuality.

reviewed by Christopher Lyon

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The Story

Trained in the fighting arts as a child until the sudden disappearance of her father (Edmund Chen), Chun-Li (Kristin Kreuk) grows up in a life of privilege to become a concert pianist. Years later she receives a mysterious message summoning her to a Bangkok to continue her training under a fighting master named Gen (Robin Shou) and to perhaps rescue her missing father.

She joins Gen in the Order of the Web, an organization dedicated to fighting injustice. With the help of Interpol agent Charlie Nash (Chris Klein) and local detective Maya Sunee (Moon Bloodgood), Chun-Li must stop the evil Bison (Neal McDonough), head of the criminal organization Shadaloo.

Content Issues

Sexually-charged content includes plenty of skin revealed and an entire scene shot in a strip bar. The female detective is little more than a sex object, and Chun-Li and a female assassin engage in an erotic same-sex dance.

Although you expect violence in a movie called “Street Fighter,” the violence towards women is especially disturbing. In one scene it is obvious Bison has just beaten a woman to death; in another, he tears a baby from his pregnant wife’s belly. The sex, the violence, the language, drinking, drug use, profanity, and regular use of God’s name in vain push “Street Fighter” beyond the expected boundaries of its PG-13 rating.

Worldview Talking Points

“Street Fighter” didn’t set any box office records, but it is aimed squarely at young action fans, including those who have spent time with the video game franchise and/or might know star Kristin Kreuk as Lana from TV’s “Smallville.”

As with most martial arts stories, this one offers a mix of vaguely dark spirituality, along with an obvious good-versus-evil narrative. It’s also a good example of the hero’s journey that we talk about quite a bit here at PlanetWisdom.

Chun-Li answers a call not only to adventure, but also to great sacrifice of herself in service to others. She leaves behind a life of wealth and privilege to accept a great challenge and a noble calling. Her adventure, though, is a lousy example of the life Jesus calls your student to follow: “Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39)

We’re certainly not recommending this film to anyone, but if your teen saw “Street Fighter” a few of the following questions might stir up some helpful conversation.

• Have you ever played any of the “Street Fighter” games? If so, which character have you most often played? Were you very good at the game?
• Did you identify with any of the characters for any reason?
• How did the game compare to the movie? Which do you like better?
• Were the action scenes good? How could the film have been better?
• Were you surprised at all by the amount of sexual content and violence in the film? Did you feel like any of the scenes went too far?
• The movie talks about the character Bison no longer having a conscience and not feeling badly about any of the evil things he does. Do you think that can happen in real life (even if the person doesn’t become a killer)?
• What can we do to keep from getting hardened and losing our sensitivity to hurting other people? (See 1 Timothy 4:1-2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19.)
• The movie shows a little of the real-world poverty of Bangkok. Aside from becoming a “street fighter,” is there anything we can do to help with the hunger and injustice in places like Bangkok? (See ijm.org for ideas.)
• Chun-Li sacrifices a pretty easy life in order to go to the streets and fight for justice and her father. What kinds of things in the real world would be worth sacrificing an easy life to help with? Why?
• What kind of life has Jesus asked us to follow?
• Do you think it is healthy or helpful to watch movies like “Street Fighter”? Why or why not?

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