The A-Team

Why they may have had a point:
This film is way over its limit of single-film physics violations. Characters fall large distances and then walk away. Many things blow up for no reason-- I mean, no reason at all, not just a bad reason thoroughly debunked by mythbusters and/or common sense. And the whole story kicks off with a coincidence that it acknowledges but then does not attempt to address. You would have to inflate these characters with a case of Twinkies just to get them up to one dimension.

And yet:
Nobody phones it in like Liam Neeson. Even when he's clearly not lifting an acting pinky, he still seems like a ten-year-old who's being paid to go to summer camp and eat ice cream.

Like Mamma Mia!, this film does not flinch from its deeply cheesy nature. Many scenes play like big budget comedy sketch lampoons of themselves, and I ultimately loved the movie a little bit for that. It doesn't have a mean bone in its body, and it's not ugly or nasty. I did not feel like I needed a shower or an excuse because I watched it. Even though it is gently paranoid, it never turns gloomy and dark.

It doesn't waste time gazing into its own navel. It moves relentless forward and unspools its plot in a straightforward manner. You will not be shocked and surprised, but neither will you be dazed and confused.

The set pieces are so gloriously over the top. Yes, they're impossible and inexplicable. It's the A-Team. Remember how The Last Action Hero lampooned action-movie carnage and destruction? Well, this movie makes that movie look restrained and serious. This movie hits the sweet spot where action sequences are both ridiculous and glorious.

You know you have something special when:
Okay, Jessica Biels is playing a serious-ish character, a sort of female Tommy Lee Jones from the Fugitive, so her performance is fine. But when you are making the A-Team and the most groundedly realistic character, the least over-the-top cartoon is BA Barracus, you know something special is happening.