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From the set of the upcoming film adaption of The A-Team, director Joe Carnahan talked about the TV-inspired remake.  Many have wondered which direction Carnahan will take the film.  Campy, like the television series, or bring to the big screen a more serious action film.  Fortunately, it's the latter, "I'm not interested in making the easy, breezy Cover Girl version of 'The A-Team,'" Carnahan said.

Citing films such as Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, Carnahan was determined to do the story and characters justice; going so far as to toss out previous scripts, "I thought they were too slavishly devoted to the TV show," he noted. "While I like the TV show, I didn't think it was any great shakes in terms of heavy drama. You could take that story and have it translate into the present day with more success."

Hit the jump for more on what will make The A-Team a serious contender in the action film genre.

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For the purists, don't worry, Carnahan certainly paid tribute to the original television show.  In particular, Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, played by Liam Neeson, does in fact use the phrase "I love it when a plan comes together." This is probably the most befitting element, if for no other reason than to honor the original Hannibal, played by the late George Peppard.

That said Carnahan recognized that The A-Team needed an update to reflect contemporary times.  Carnahan used "Howlin' Mad" Murdock, played by District 9's Sharlto Copley, as an example:

"People are a lot more keen and savvy. If you tried to put that show out today, you wouldn't get away with what they got away with," the director continued. "I mean, Murdoch for what passed as crazy 25 years ago? It doesn't hold up. Nowadays, you have Steve-O on 'Jackass' strapping on a g-string made out of chicken parts and rappelling over an alligator pit. So you have to reevaluate things like 'crazy.'"

Also gone is the tendency for Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's B.A. Baracus to repeatedly utter the line, "I pity the fool!"  Now, to his credit, he does sport temporary tattoos across his knuckles which read "P-I-T-Y" and "F-O-O-L".  That's a trade-off I can live with.

All the idiosyncrasies aside, The A-Team does in fact have a very simple premise.  Four soldiers on the run for a crime they didn't commit.  While the theater of war may have changed, from Vietnam to the Middle East, the premise remains the same and in that simplest The A-Team is sure to shine.

Carnahan noted, "We're not making an homage to 'The A-Team,'" he said. "We're taking the base story of four guys wrongfully convicted of a crime, they're an Alpha Unit, that's it. That's the point of departure."

While I was skeptical at first about The A-Team it didn't take me long to hop on the promotion bandwagon.  As the cast was announced, and images trickled out, it became clear this was my big movie of the summer.  Maybe it was childhood sentiment of watching the original show.  More likely, however, it was the thought of Carnahan bringing the action of his film Smokin' Aces to such a great collection of characters.

We'll all get to find out if this plan comes together June 11 when The A-Team hits theaters.

(via L.A.Times Hero Complex)

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