3 Things That Actually Aged Well About JCVD’s Street Fighter Movie

A new generation of Street Fighter fans will soon have their own movie adaptation with the upcoming Street Fighter film set for 2026, a film that boasts a cast that is as strong as it is surreal. The first footage from the film debuted at The Game Awards, and it got many of us thinking of how we felt about the original Jean-Claude Van Damme Street Fighter film from 1994. While that film absolutely has its flaws, there are still some things that have actually aged well, and we’ve pinpointed 3 specific moments or qualities that fit that description to a tee.

3. Ryu and Vega’s Final Fight

While the final battle sequence is mostly focused on the final throwdown between Guile and M. Bison, there’s another fight happening simultaneously during the beginning parts of their confrontation. That fight showcases Ryu doing his best to hold off Vega and Sagat, though he is joined at the perfect time by a returning Ken.

The entire fight is entertaining, the parts that have aged the best are all found in the Ryu vs Vega battle. This fight has a number of highlights and is tense from beginning to end, showcasing the lethality of Vega and the resourcefulness of Ryu, including the part where Ryu opens a furnace and sticks Vega’s mask-clad face against it to burn him. This fight is all about close quarters combat and efficiency with just a touch of flair, and it’s my preferred battle to the flying M. Bison battle that it’s paired with.

2. The Comedy and The Camp

One of the elements that held up much better than expected was the humor of the film, and that’s in large part due to not taking itself all that seriously and having some fun with the IP. The Street Fighter games are full of bombastic characters with over the top personalties, and the same applies to the bigger-than-life moves that they unleash during a battle.

Read Next

Original Street Fighter Movie Directors Reveal Why They Left (& What They Had Planned) (Exclusive)

The same is true of the film, and Jean-Claude Van Damme is a perfect example of this. Granted, there are several lines that fall flat on their face, but his caricature-like hero is right on par with who the character is, and he actually has some genuinely funny one-liners throughout the film. There are a number of delightfully quotable lines from characters like Zangief, Dee Jay, M. Bison, and Cammy, with some being flat-out hilarious (Zangief’s “change the channel”) while others are more satirical about the franchise (Cammy’s pigtails response). That’s all wrapped in a film that embraces the video game through and through, and one need look no further than that closing victory celebration ending scene. The original Street Fighter is absurdly fun, and it knows it.

1. Raul Julia’s Villainous M. Bison

We mentioned how the performances of the cast embraced the camp of the franchise, and that was also true of Raul Julia, though he brought something a bit extra to the role that couldn’t help but stand out. The accomplished actor went all in on his character, researching dictators and crime lords and their personalities and working those elements into the grand M. Bison portrayal. He still had fun, mind you, and his comedic timing was perfect when the situation arose, like when he talked about all of the big companies wanting to be a part of Bisonopolis’ food court.

The reason those work so well is that they contrast brilliantly against his more villainous moments, including what has to be one of the most brutal lines ever. That line happened in an exchange with Chun-Li about when Bison killed her father, and he says, “I’m sorry. I don’t remember any of it.” Chun-Li says, “You don’t remember?”, and Bison coldly says, “For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life, but for me, it was Tuesday.” That is just insane, and Julia’s delivery made it hit even harder.

All of that on its own would be impressive, but it goes even beyond that. Julia’s whole reason for playing M. Bison was that his children were huge fans of the franchise, and his family was with him throughout filming due to Julia being terminally ill with cancer. Despite everything he was going through, reports say that he was a joy to work with during that time, and somehow, he also delivered a classic performance at the same time. A legend through and through.

The new Street Fighter film hits theaters on October 16, 2026.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!