The A-Team (2010)

The A-Team is a 2010 American action film based on the television series of the same name. It was released in cinemas in the United States on June 11, 2010 by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Joe Carnahan and produced by Stephen J. Cannell, and brothers Ridley and Tony Scott. The film has been in development since the mid 1990s, having gone through a number of writers and story ideas, and being put on hold a number of times. Producer Stephen J. Cannell wished to update the setting, perhaps using the first Gulf War as part of the backstory. The film stars Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton Jackson, and Sharlto Copley as The A-Team, an elite army team, imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. They escape and set out to clear their name. Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson and Brian Bloom are in supporting roles.

John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam Neeson) is held captive in Mexico by two corrupt Mexican police officers working for the renegade General Javier Tuco (Yul Vazquez). Hannibal escapes and sets out to rescue Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Bradley Cooper), who is held captive at Tuco's ranch. Hannibal saves Face after enlisting disgraced Ranger Bosco Albert B.A. Baracus (Quinton Jackson), driving to the rescue in B.A.'s modified Chevrolet G20 van. Pursued by Tuco, they stop at a nearby Army hospital to recruit the services of eccentric pilot H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley). They flee in a medical helicopter, chased by Tuco in a dogfight that leaves B.A. with a fear of flying. The battle ends when they lure Tuco's helicopter into American airspace, where it's destroyed by a U.S. F-22 Raptor as Hannibal planned. "Eight years and eighty successful missions later", the team is a highly-regarded elite combat unit stationed in Iraq. Hannibal is contacted by CIA Agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson), who reveals that Iraqi insurgents possess U.S. Treasury plates being used to manufacture counterfeit currency. Lynch wants Hannibal and his team to steal the plates and over $1 billion in counterfeit cash that is due to be moved out of Baghdad. DCIS Captain Charissa Sosa (Jessica Biel) arrives and warns her former lover Face, to stay away from the plates. Against the advice of his commanding officer, General Morrison (Gerald McRaney), Hannibal agrees to steal the plates in an unofficial "Black Ops" mission. The mission is successful, but when the team returns to base both the money and plates Morrison's vehicle are destroyed by Brock Pike (Brian Bloom) and his men from the private security firm Black Forest. Without Morrison, the only proof that they were authorized to act, the team is sentenced to ten years in prison. Six months later, Hannibal is visited in prison by Lynch. Lynch reveals that Pike may be trying to sell the plates with the help of an Arab backer. Hannibal, who has been tracking Pike on his own, makes a deal with Lynch: clean records for his team in return for the plates. Lynch agrees and Hannibal escapes, then breaks out the rest of the team. B.A. Baracus has turned to religion during his time in prison and refuses to kill anyone. Sosa is hot on their trail, and angry after being demoted to Lieutenant after the team ignored her warning. Believing the team is working with Pike, she tries to intercept them before they leave Germany in a military C-130 transport aircraft. The plane is destroyed by drone fighters, but the team escapes inside the body of a tank on parachutes. They track Pike and launch an offensive to reclaim the plates and kidnap Pike's backer. The team learns that the backer is actually General Morrison, who worked with Lynch and Pike to steal the plates, but then teamed up with Pike to double-cross Lynch and fake his death. When Lynch learns that the team has Morrison, he orders an air strike to eliminate them. The team barely escapes and Morrison is killed. Face hatches a plan. Hannibal arranges to meet Sosa, knowing her phone lines are tapped by Lynch, on board a container ship at a downtown dock, saying he will hand over Morrison and the plates in exchange for his freedom. Face then calls Sosa on an untapped phone he previously gave her. Lynch reenlists Pike and sets a trap for Hannibal and company. This has been anticipated by Face, who uses diversions to divide Lynch's team and get Lynch directly involved. Pike fires a rocket at the ship, nearly destroying it, but B.A. swiftly incapacitates him. Lynch tracks down Hannibal and a hooded Morrison dummy, and shoots the dummy in the head before engaging Hannibal in a fistfight. The container they are in is uncovered revealing Sosa and Federal agents. Morrison is revealed to be Murdock in a melted-kevlar helmet. Lynch is taken into custody, but the A-Team is arrested for escaping incarceration. Sosa is promoted back to Captain for retrieving the plates and apprehending the A-Team, but promises to do all she can to set them free before kissing Face as he is led into a prison van. In the van Face reveals Sosa gave him a key during their kiss, which they promptly use to escape. The closing narration says that they now live as soldiers of fortune.