T5W#583-Top 5 Best Lines from Street Fighter 1994

Well the legends were true on this one: Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li really is one of the worst video game adaptations of all time.  It’s wants people to take it way too seriously, critically miscasts usually (mostly) good actors and worst of all, it isnt fun in the slightest.  Now, the same cant be said for the 1994 Jean Claude Van Damme action classic.  Oh it’s still a terrible movie but it’s one that can truly be classified as “so bad, it’s good”.  Part of the reason for this is the dialogue.  Whether played straight or fully acknowledging the silliness of how it sounds, the 94 movie has so many quotable lines that it helps make up for the lack of faithfulness to the source material or any kind of Street Fighting.  With the new movie about to drop this weekend (the review will be up at the end of the month), today on Top 5 Wednesday, I’m cherry picking my picks for the Top 5 Best Lines from Street Fighter 1994.  How many of them will be M. Bison quotes? Read on to find out.

 
#5-Guile’s Cheesy 90s Speech

No one can argue that Jean Claude Van Damme is a talented fighter.  Acting wise, his roles vary but wow casting him as Street Fighters “All American” bad ass, Guile, the comedy writes itself.  And nowhere is this more evident than with Guile’s big Independence Day/Braveheart/Pacific Rim speech to the troops about how he isnt going to obey orders and leave Bison to the bureaucrats but instead “Get in my boat, and go up river and kick, that sonofabitch Bison’s ass SO HARD”.  The swelling inspirational music and everyones neutral reactions only add to the absurdity of it all.  Whoever thought this was a good idea…well it wasn’t but hats off for the entertainment value alone.
 

#4-“OF COURSE!!!”

This famous line has become a meme amongst internet reviewers as the punchline of many a joke.  And why not?  It’s a simple line but like every other word out of his mouth in this movie, Raul Julia never half asses any of it.  When his forces suddenly discover in total disbelief that Guile survived a supposed death, Bison’s only reply is a dramatic turn around and a two word response, “OF COURSE!!!” It’s shouted in a way that not only highlights the obvious but also shows Bison’s excitement at being able to take on the Muscles from Brussels himself. 

#3-“Quick, Change the Channel”

Probably the 100% honest to God intentionally funniest moment of the entire movie.  A tense situation at the Thieves Market gets even crazier when Chun Li and her allies broadcast a message for everyone there, including Bison.  What follows is a truck armed with explosives rolling down a road towards the camp and it’s also playing on the video.  As eyes look outside then back to the TV and two and two is put together, Zangief suggests, “Quick, change the channel”.  The only thing that makes this line even more hilarious is everyones befuddled expressions as they turn to look at him like “dude really?” 
 

#2-“Tuesday”

As previously stated, Raul Julia gave M. Bison his all in what would sadly be his final performance before he passed away.  Julia commands the screen with his Bison voice, making him a villain you cant help but love because he’s so damn cool.  Case in point, his best line in the movie.  As Chun Li regails him with the tale of how her father led a rebellion against Bison that would lead to Bison killing her father, Bison tells her he doesn’t remember any of that.  “For you, the day that Bison graced your village…was the most important day of your life.  But for me…it was Tuesday.”  Spoke in such a way that says this guy has done hundreds of terrible things and Chun Li’s grievance is no different.  It’s as eloquent a way of saying “eh” in the 90s as you can get.  (Seriously David Daslmatchian, you’ve got some serious shoes to fill in the new movie dude).
 

#1-“Ok”

I’ll be honest, I don’t know why this is my favorite line in the movie.  Maybe it’s just the way DJ says it as a show of forced acceptance. Maybe it’s because I’ve adopted just saying it like that during stressful or nonsensical situations and just going with the flow.  Anyway, when Bison and his men believe Guile is dead, DJ energetically assures Bison this is a good thing.  Bison’s reply, “On the contrary, mourn”, leads to DJ just saying “Ok.”  Like this is his boss, he’s crazy and you just have to run with his insane logic sometimes.  And honestly, that’s the best way to enjoy Street Fighter 94 as a whole: turn off the brain, enjoy the craziness and just say “Ok.”