Paramount Pictures’ Street Fighter has entered the ring, and the first wave of social media reactions points to a loud, colorful and deliberately ridiculous video-game adaptation — though not everyone was won over by its humor or story.

The latest big-screen take on Capcom’s video game premiered in Los Angeles on Monday, with Paramount also holding screenings during the week. Attendees were permitted to share brief reactions ahead of the film’s theatrical release on Oct. 16. Full critics’ reviews are scheduled to arrive on Oct. 14.

Early responses posted Oct. 13 frequently praised the film’s action, visual style and willingness to embrace the games’ exaggerated spirit. Several viewers singled out Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang and Cody Rhodes, while others argued that the jokes and plotting do not consistently connect.

A colorful, chaotic first verdict

Andrew J. Salazar described the movie as a more satisfying successor to 1995’s Mortal Kombat than the more recent Mortal Kombat films, adding that it captures the “vibe and energy of anime in live-action.”

Brandon Davis called it a “silly, fun, and fearless good time,” praising Koji’s Ryu, Rhodes’ comedy and Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i’s performance as Akuma. Matt Rodgers similarly said the movie works best when it refuses to take itself too seriously, naming Centineo and Rhodes as standouts.

Phil Roberts offered a more qualified endorsement, describing a hectic combination of action, anime-inspired spectacle, characters and showdowns that do not always work, but still praising director Kitao Sakurai’s filmmaking and the movie’s visuals.

That combination of enthusiasm and reservation runs through the early conversation. POC Culture said the film embraces the cartoonish nature of its source material and highlighted its serious scenes, fights and animated flashbacks, while noting that its humor can miss. DaFeetLee also praised the 2D animated material and said the movie can be genuinely funny, but felt there was too much comedy during dramatic moments.

Other reactions were considerably less impressed. Tessa Smith praised the 2D animation and some of the fights but said the dialogue was weak, the jokes rarely worked and the result felt incomplete. Bill Bria applauded the mixed-media approach, saturated colors and cast, but argued that the movie repeatedly loses control of its plot. Christopher Rates It said its bolder choices ultimately hurt a film that struggles to settle on a direction.

One especially critical response from Dark Cassidy said the adaptation gets some characters right while mishandling others and objected to its juvenile humor. Even among the negative notices, however, the movie’s visual presentation, animated sequences or action received some acknowledgment.

Ken, Ryu and Chun-Li return to battle

Set in 1993, the story follows estranged fighters Ryu and Ken Masters, played by Koji and Centineo. They are pulled back into combat when Liang’s Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament. The competition masks a deadly conspiracy, leaving Ryu and Ken facing both each other and their pasts.

Liang earned repeated praise in the initial reactions. Anthony Gagliardi hailed the central trio of Centineo, Koji and Liang, while Christopher Gallardo called Liang a standout. Junior Felix also praised all three leads and described the film as campy, funny and packed with action.

Fan-focused details proved another recurring talking point. Maude Garrett said the film honors the characters’ fighting moves and claimed it contains more than 100 Easter eggs, while Felix Ang praised its references, soundtrack and 2D animation. Justin Wong simply called the movie “really fun” and said he planned to watch it eight more times.

The ensemble also includes Anoa’i as Akuma, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Rhodes as Guile, Eric André as Don Sauvage, Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki, Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim and Curtis Jackson, also known as 50 Cent, as Balrog.

Jason Momoa plays Blanka, Don Lee is Gouken, Orville Peck portrays Vega and Olivier Richters appears as Zangief. Hirooki Goto plays E. Honda, with Mel Jarnson as Cammy, Rayna Vallandingham as Juli and Alexander Volkanovski as Joe.

Sakurai, whose credits include Beef and Bad Trip, directed from a screenplay by Dalan Musson and Gary Dauberman.

ShowBiz Take

The early response suggests that Street Fighter is not trying to hide the exaggerated qualities of its video-game foundation. Its biggest supporters see that commitment as the reason it works: the explosive combat, animated interludes, broad comedy and recognizable characters are repeatedly presented as features rather than distractions.

The split emerges over whether those same choices hold together as a movie. While enthusiastic viewers celebrated its energy and fan references, skeptical reactions pointed to uneven jokes, tonal clashes and an unfocused plot. That makes the coming full reviews particularly significant: the first posts establish a clear personality for the film, but not a unanimous verdict.

What Happens Next?

Critics’ reviews will be published Oct. 14, providing a fuller assessment beyond these initial social media posts. Paramount will then release Street Fighter in theaters on Oct. 16.