JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—Street Fighter returns to cinemas as a colorful celebration of Capcom’s arcade era, delivering familiar fighters, faithfully recreated special moves and a soundtrack designed to transport audiences back to the 1990s.

Directed and co-written by Kitao Sakurai, the 119-minute film is set in 1993. Former training partners Ryu, played by Andrew Koji, and Ken Masters, portrayed by Noah Centineo, have grown apart following the death of their master, Gouken.

Chun-Li, played by Callina Liang, brings the two fighters back together when she recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament. M. Bison, portrayed by David Dastmalchian, organizes the competition and intends to harness Ryu’s Hado power.

The story opens with an anime-style account of the earlier tournament, including Ryu’s confrontation with Sagat. This sequence establishes Ryu’s withdrawal from competitive fighting while paying tribute to Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, released in 1994.

The film’s strongest appeal lies in how closely it recreates the games’ visual language. Zangief uses his signature wrestling throws, while Dhalsim stretches his limbs across the fighting arena. E. Honda battles in a bathhouse environment that resembles his classic game stage.

Blanka, played by Jason Momoa, unleashes his electric attack with the familiar skeletal effect. The title sequence also echoes imagery associated with the original arcade game.

According to the studio, the production contains 14 major fight sequences. An international stunt team developed movements based on each character’s established fighting style, supported by practical effects and computer-generated imagery.

“You have to honor the game and what’s integral to it, but the film has to be its own living, breathing entity,” Sakurai said in a Paramount-Skydance production feature.

The approach generally succeeds when the movie lets its characters fight. The moves remain recognizable without appearing like a direct recording of gameplay.

Centineo portrays Ken as charming and reckless, hiding his grief behind humor and swagger. He gives the character more emotional depth than Ken’s outward bravado initially suggests.

Koji paints Ryu as disciplined and introverted. The Satsui no Hado is a source of his conflict, which makes things even darker as he tries to control the anger tied to that power. The contrast between Ken’s impulsiveness and Ryu’s restraint solidifies their rocky friendship.

The hand-drawn animated segments that explore their shared childhood and training deepen that relationship. Animation studio Titmouse created the flashbacks using techniques influenced by 1990s Japanese animation, according to the filmmakers.

The period setting also shapes the soundtrack. Songs including 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?”, the Offspring’s “Come Out and Play” and MC Hammer’s “2 Legit 2 Quit” reinforce the movie’s playful MTV-era identity.

Longtime players will recognize the stages, character poses and signature attacks. That attention to detail makes the film more engaging than a generic martial-arts tournament story.

However, its crowded roster and game-specific mythology may confuse viewers unfamiliar with the franchise. The story sometimes moves quickly between fighters without giving every character enough development.

Capcom introduced the first Street Fighter game in 1987, while Street Fighter II helped transform the series into a global arcade phenomenon in 1991. The new adaptation clearly targets the generation that grew up with those games, although its brisk action and comedy remain accessible to newcomers.

The Indonesian Film Censorship Board classifies Street Fighter for viewers aged 13 and above. Its official listing records an Indonesian premiere date of Oct. 16, 2026, correcting the Oct. 14 date circulated in some listings.

The Kabar News rating: 8/10.