By Fatal Jay | Lords of the Livestream
Spoiler warning: This review discusses the story, major fights, Evil Ryu, the ending, and the post-credits setup.
We’re back, ladies and gentlemen. And you already know what happens when the Lords of the Livestream get together: somebody is going to disagree.
This time, it is Street Fighter.
My verdict on Street Fighter (2026) is 4/10. The casting, costumes, signature moves, Chun-Li, and Roman Reigns as Akuma gave me things to enjoy. But the rushed pacing, Ken’s characterization, and a Bison I could not get behind kept the movie from working for me.
Nzo had a different reaction. He enjoyed seeing the games brought to life and thought the movie was good, even if it was not great. Danny landed closer to the middle with a 6/10.
So when I ask, “Absolute trash?”, understand that we actually broke this thing down. I am going to give the movie credit where it earned it.
Looking like Street Fighter is a good start. I also need the story to work.
Our Street Fighter 2026 Review at a Glance
For this Lords of the Livestream discussion, I was joined by Nzo of Biggaford Entertainment and Danny Graham of The Road to Wisdom. We looked at four main areas:
| Category | My takeaway |
|---|---|
| Plot and pacing | Keeping Ryu and Ken central was the right choice, but the story moved too fast |
| Characters and acting | Chun-Li and Akuma stood out; Ken’s writing and Bison’s portrayal disappointed me |
| Fights and choreography | Ryu versus Akuma was the highlight, but I wanted more from the overall action |
| Visuals and game accuracy | Strong costumes and recognizable powers, with some effects that looked too artificial to me |
For background, the film is directed by Kitao Sakurai. Its leads include Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, and Callina Liang as Chun-Li. See Capcom’s official film announcement for those production details.
1. Plot and Pacing: Why Is Everything Moving So Fast?
The decision to focus on Ryu and Ken made sense to me. That relationship is a major part of what I want from a Street Fighter adaptation.
The movie brings them back together around the World Warrior Tournament, with Chun-Li pulling them into a larger conflict involving Bison and Akuma.
Good. That gives you a foundation.
My problem is how quickly the movie moves through it.
During the stream, I kept coming back to the same complaint: take your time. Give us room to understand the characters and let the important moments land.
Danny felt that, too. His complaint was that the movie kept jumping from scene to scene. Even Nzo, who enjoyed it more than I did, acknowledged problems with the pacing.
A Tournament Should Let Us See the Fights
One example we discussed was the Guile and Vega tournament matchup.
Nzo initially thought he had missed it during a bathroom break. Then he realized the film had moved past the fight without showing the actual matchup. We talked about seeing the aftermath and wondering why the audience did not get the battle itself.
Bro, this is Street Fighter.
If you set up a matchup between recognizable fighters, I want to see it. That is part of the reason I showed up.
I did appreciate having a tournament at the center of the movie. But putting a tournament in the story only takes you so far if some of its fights get skipped.
I Missed the World-Travelling Feeling
Another thing I wanted was more of the international feeling I associate with the games.
Brazil. Japan. China. The United States. Different fighters in different places.
The movie’s more concentrated setting did not give me enough of that feeling. Nzo was more comfortable with the choice, and that was one of our disagreements.
For me, the locations are part of Street Fighter’s personality. I wanted that world to feel bigger.
2. Characters and Acting: Chun-Li and Akuma Deserve Their Props
I can criticize the movie and still admit that a lot of the casting worked.
Most of these characters looked recognizable. The production made an effort with the costumes, powers, and presentation. That matters to me as somebody who loves these games.
But the characters did not all land equally.
Chun-Li Was One of the Best Parts
Chun-Li was fire.
She was one of the strongest positives in our conversation, and I gave this version the edge when we compared her with the 1994 film’s Chun-Li.
That does not mean I am throwing away Ming-Na Wen’s performance. I gave her respect during the discussion, too. But this version stood out to me.
Chun-Li helped keep me interested in a movie that was losing me elsewhere. When we discussed whether removing her would change our scores, I said mine would drop even further.
That tells you how much she added for me.
Roman Reigns Surprised Me as Akuma
I have to give Roman Reigns his props.
I was not sure he would pull off Akuma, but he did. The presence, the movement, and the presentation of Akuma’s powers worked for me.
Akuma did not feel like he was playing around.
We also compared him with the Akuma in Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist. I prefer Assassin’s Fist overall, but I said I preferred Roman Reigns’ Akuma.
Both things can be true. A movie I like less can still give me a version of a character I like more.
Ken Needed to Get Serious
Ken’s characterization was a major problem for me, and Nzo had concerns about it as well.
I understand that Ken is the more outgoing personality next to Ryu. Let him be vibrant. Let him have some swagger.
But the partying, crying, and unfocused behavior went too far for me. Once the tournament started, I wanted him to lock in.
Ken should feel like somebody who can stand beside Ryu as a serious rival. I did not want so much of the movie to leave me waiting for him to become that guy.
Nzo liked the idea that Ryu’s jealousy revealed how much he respected Ken’s ability. I understood that point. The relationship had something worth exploring; I wanted the execution to be stronger.
Bison Did Not Work for Me
Bison was the casting and characterization choice I struggled with most.
I did give the film credit for showing his powers and recognizable moves. But that did not make the overall portrayal convincing to me.
The foot-focused jokes also did nothing for the menace I wanted from him. We joked about that on the stream, but my criticism is simple: I wanted Bison to feel more threatening.
Nzo saw more potential. He thought Bison was calculating and could grow into a stronger threat if the story continued.
I am judging what this movie gave me.
What About the Supporting Fighters?
Dhalsim’s stretching abilities worked well in the footage we discussed, and Blanka was another positive. I did not think they would pull Blanka off as well as they did.
Cammy also earned praise for her performance and recognizable costume.
Vega was a disappointment for me. He is one of my go-to characters in the games, so I wanted more from his portrayal.
Dan’s comedy did not do much for us either. We understood his comic-relief role, but knowing why a joke is there does not automatically make it funny.
3. Fight Scenes: Ryu vs. Akuma Was the Standout
Ryu versus Akuma was my favorite fight in Street Fighter (2026).
That was the sequence where the game-inspired action really came together for me. Nzo especially loved seeing Akuma’s recognizable movements and powers translated into the fight.
I agreed that Akuma delivered.
But when we judged the action as a whole, our reactions separated.
Danny was much more enthusiastic about the fights. Nzo also liked several sequences, including the way Dhalsim’s abilities were used against Ken.
I thought the fighting overall was okay. One strong highlight did not make every other fight equally memorable.
Signature Moves Matter—but So Does the Scene Around Them
I want the Hadoukens. I want recognizable attacks. I want to see what makes each fighter different.
The film gave us a lot of that, and I praised it.
I also wanted more complete encounters. The skipped Guile–Vega matchup bothered us, and I would have liked to see more of Akuma and Gouken’s fight.
Give those confrontations room. Let the audience experience the skill and danger instead of rushing to the next plot point.
That is where the action and pacing complaints meet.
4. Visuals and Game Accuracy: They Got a Lot of the Look Right
This was one of the movie’s stronger areas.
The costumes and character designs showed a real effort to capture the games. The recognizable powers helped, too.
I liked Ryu’s Hadoukens. Akuma’s aura looked good. Blanka’s electricity and movement worked better than I expected.
Nzo and Danny were more positive about the effects overall. I thought some shots looked too much like obvious green-screen work.
That is a visual judgment, not a claim about how any particular shot was produced.
We also discussed the animated flashbacks. There were things to appreciate in them, but I still wanted to see some of those moments played out more fully.
My issue was never that the movie ignored every part of Street Fighter. I repeatedly gave it credit for the look and powers. My issue was that those strengths did not fix the story.
Street Fighter 2026 Ending Explained: Evil Ryu and Ken’s Choice
The finale brings the Ryu–Akuma conflict together with Ryu’s struggle against his own darkness.
Ryu defeats Akuma but becomes Evil Ryu. Ken reaches him with a Hadouken and brings him back. Bison escapes with Akuma, leaving the heroes with unfinished business.
That gives the ending two jobs: resolving an important part of Ryu and Ken’s relationship while leaving the larger villain conflict open.
For me, the friendship needed more consistent development throughout the movie to make that payoff as strong as it could have been.
Nzo was more willing to see it as the beginning of a longer character journey.
For a separate account of the finale, see GamesRadar’s ending breakdown.
What Does the Post-Credits Scene Set Up?
Bison’s approach to Sagat points toward another conflict if the story continues.
On the stream, Nzo imagined a possible progression involving Sagat and a more powerful Bison across future movies. That was his theory about where the filmmakers could go.
It was not confirmation of a sequel or a trilogy.
I was more doubtful about the movie’s commercial prospects. Nzo and Danny were more optimistic. Those were predictions during the livestream, not final box-office results.
A sequel tease can make you curious. For me, the first movie still needs to deliver a satisfying experience on its own.
Is Street Fighter 2026 Better Than the 1994 Movie?
Our character comparisons were more interesting than a simple yes or no.
I favored the newer Ryu, Chun-Li, and Cammy. But when it came to Bison, I picked the 1994 version.
Nzo and Danny disagreed with me on Bison, which turned into exactly the kind of argument you expect from the Lords.
Guile also split the discussion: the newer version’s visual resemblance versus Jean-Claude Van Damme’s fighting ability and screen presence.
The point is that “more game accurate” and “better movie” are different judgments. A character can look closer to the source while another performance remains more entertaining to a particular viewer.
We also compared the movie with Assassin’s Fist and the Mortal Kombat films. Those comparisons gave us plenty to argue about, but they did not change my main complaint: I wanted a stronger story supporting these fighters.
My Final Verdict: 4/10
I wanted to like this more.
Chun-Li was a highlight. Roman Reigns delivered as Akuma. Several costumes, powers, and character designs gave me what I wanted to see.
But the pacing was too rushed, Ken’s characterization frustrated me, and Bison did not have the presence I wanted.
Street Fighter (2026) gets a 4/10 from me.
Danny’s 6/10 reflected a more mixed reaction. Nzo enjoyed it more and felt the game-inspired spectacle delivered enough to make the movie worthwhile.
That is why we have these conversations. We can watch the same movie, recognize some of the same strengths, and still leave with different verdicts.
What did you think? Did the signature moves and casting carry it for you, or did the story let you down?
Find more movie reviews and debates on Fatal Jay’s YouTube channel. Join the Lords of the Livestream conversation and tell us where you stand.
Only the real.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Street Fighter (2026) good or bad?
My verdict is 4/10: I liked several performances, designs, and powers, but the rushed pacing and characterization disappointed me. The Lords of the Livestream panel was split, with Danny giving it 6/10 and Nzo offering a more positive assessment.
What is Fatal Jay’s biggest problem with Street Fighter 2026?
The pacing. I felt the movie moved too quickly through its story and character moments. Skipping the Guile–Vega tournament matchup was one example we discussed.
Is Roman Reigns good as Akuma?
I thought Roman Reigns delivered as Akuma. His presence and the presentation of Akuma’s powers were highlights, and I preferred this Akuma to the version in Assassin’s Fist despite preferring that production overall.
What is the best fight in Street Fighter 2026?
My pick is Ryu versus Akuma. The recognizable movements and powers made it the standout fight for me, although Danny and Nzo also praised other sequences.
What happens to Ryu at the end?
Ryu defeats Akuma but becomes Evil Ryu. Ken uses a Hadouken to bring him back, while Bison escapes with Akuma and the larger conflict remains unresolved.
Does Street Fighter 2026 have a post-credits scene?
Yes. Bison approaches Sagat, setting up a potential continuation. Our discussion of what might happen next was speculation, not confirmation of another film.
Is Street Fighter 2026 accurate to the games?
In our discussion, the costumes, character designs, and several signature powers earned praise. That visual accuracy did not mean we agreed with every story choice, particularly Ken’s characterization.
Who joined Fatal Jay for this review?
Nzo of Biggaford Entertainment and Danny Graham of The Road to Wisdom joined the Lords of the Livestream discussion.
