“The A-Team” movie hits theaters Friday, notable to MMA fans for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson‘s first major role as B.A. Baracus, made famous on the small screen in the ’80s by Jackson boyhood hero Mr. T.
And while reviews of the film so far have been hovering around that “average at best” range, the early returns on Jackson’s performance have been mostly positive.
Considering the attention given to the film in the MMA community thanks to Jackson delaying his planned fight with Rashad Evans in Memphis to be a movie star instead, there’s no doubt there are MMA fans who will see it just for Jackson. Expect something short on character and plot development and high on, well, stuff just getting blown up – a summer popcorn flick.
But make no mistake – Jackson as B.A. Baracus is the biggest role yet for a fighter on the big screen. He’s far from alone in taking on movie roles, but there’s a reason you haven’t seen or heard of the vast majority of your favorite cage fighters crossing over into acting.