Movies like The A-Team inhabit an interesting place on the cultural landscape, don’t you think? Inarguably, these big on budget, light on ‘credibility’ – let’s put it in the same field as say Die Hard 4.0, Transformers, etc. – are designed to appeal to a very wide audience and reel in a buttload of cash because of that. And you know what? I’m cool with that, I really am. Sometimes I don’t feel like watching a Godard picture and I’d prefer to follow some likable stars get up to some hijinks and make some shit explode on the big screen whilst I sit back, eat some popcorn and turn off the ‘analyse’ switch. And if you’ve ever felt the same way about cinema then I can assure that you will enjoy The A-Team.

Indeed, enjoyment is key here. It’s why this movie got made – that and the buttload cash we were talking about earlier. It is really easy to enjoy. From the pretty solid performances to the spectacle-heavy action scenes, The A-Team is an entertaining film. Why bother fighting it?

As anyone with a passing subscription to pop-culture will know, the big-screen version of The A-Team is of course a new adaptation of the hit ‘80s TV show of the same name. But considering that the bulk of the film’s target audience was only born in that decade, familiarity with the TV show is not required, especially as this new and improved silver screen version of the ‘Team is an origin story and not a continuation of any long-standing show leads and themes.

Which leaves us at the literal and figurative beginning of The A-Team. As the film kicks off we’re introduced to the members of the military tactics and operations group, starting with leader of the pack Hannibal Smith played sturdily by Liam Neeson. As Hannibal escapes his Mexican captors in the opening stanza, we see the A-Team itself begin to take shape, firstly with Hannibal’s recruitment of the aggressive mohawk-sporting B.A. Baracus – with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in the role made famous by Mr. T – the two of whom then rescue fast-talking and fast-wooing womanizer Face (that’s Bradley Cooper, Hollywood’s latest golden boy) in a mess of gun-fire and actual fire. From there the now trio move on to collect Sharlto Copley’s madcap pilot Murdock from a mental asylum. After the the foursome commandeer a medical chopper and play aero-chicken with the pursuing Mexican villains – why they’re bad we’re never entirely sure, but no doubt it has something to do with Face being handsome and American – that’ it, the team is together and the film plunges eight years into the future, in which time we’re lead to assume that the freshly minted A-Team has pulled off a score of missions, each with equally dangerous and bafflingly high-concept action.

It’s a pretty effective opener, not only for its staggered, over-lapping character introductions and team-formation, but also for the way it establishes the tone for the rest of The A-Team, with big, ballsy, high-octane action up front-and-centre, augmented with a carousel of quips and colorful commentary from the four individuals at the centre of the film.

From there the story moves onto the places that you’d expect, with Hannibal’s team becoming embroiled in a military conspiracy and wrongly imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit. Of course, this just gives the writers ample fodder to pull out the action stakes for the team’s escape and ensuing quest for justice.

This is, as to be expected, is where The A-Team’s strength lies; its action. It’s really nice and slick. Whether it’s off-the-wall insane aerial antics – see the flying tank scene for one – or some hand-to-hand, street level stuff, everything is down with precision with the action unfolding in that kind of adrenalin surging way that worked so well in Mission Impossible and the Bourne series.

Performance wise, pretty much everyone is on point here. And so they should be, as they’re getting paid a lot to essentially have a ball here. Thankfully they live it up, and you can see Cooper and Copley especially dig their heels in and have fun with their characterisations. Of all the actors, it’s perhaps Jackson playing B.A. who has the toughest gig. That’s not only because this is the debut acting gig for the pro-fighter but also because even if half of the audience has never seen the TV series of The A-Team, they would know Mr. T’s presence in the show, constantly judging Jackson against that. Of course, whether it’s in The A-Team or as Clubber Lang in Rocky III or in a Snickers commercial, Mr. T plays Mr. T and that lack of range means Jackson has something to work with. And so when the script calls for, dare I say it, some depth to B.A.’s character, Jackson is able to pull off the appearance of a conflicted and troubled soldier.

Of course, Neeson can’t go unappreciated, as he’s the one who keeps the bulk of the film moving forwards. And with the Taken sequel still stalled it’s just kinda awesome to see him kicking butt again. There, I said it.

Without question, The A-Team won’t change your life. But it’s a good, solid and fun hour and a half of eye-popping action. And sometimes that’s all you need.