Are we currently experiencing the pinnacle of video game movies? Financially, it seems to be a resounding yes; movies like “A Minecraft Movie” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” have become major hits, with the Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy even outperforming the John Wick series in average earnings. What may be even more surprising is that many of these films have received decent reviews. Even a relatively lesser-known game adaptation like “Until Dawn” released this weekend is garnering better feedback compared to its counterparts from the 2000s. While most movie adaptations of games from the past, such as the 2005 film “Doom,” are considered subpar, fans of the “Resident Evil” series have come to acknowledge their underrated quality. So, are there any gems from the old era of poorly received game-based movies that are better than believed? If you asked, the answer would be yes: “D.O.A.: Dead or Alive,” a fighting-game adaptation that stands alongside the 1995 “Mortal Kombat” as one of the most delightfully entertaining action movies post-Nintendo. Given its limited theatrical run and negative reception back in 2007, you may not have had the opportunity to watch it, but now, it is conveniently available for streaming on Pluto, Fandango at Home, Prime Video, and Fawesome, offering you a chance to watch it tonight!

The underperformance of “D.O.A.” at the box office is understandable. It essentially promises what you’d typically find in a Maxim magazine (in those days), which was usually cheaper and could be kept after reading, unlike a movie ticket. While “D.O.A.: Dead or Alive” embraces male gaze humorously – with Christie, one of the main characters, introduced in a towel during a fight; Tina spending a significant portion of her screen time in a bikini; and Kasumi portrayed as a ninja princess, although her attire doesn’t quite match – it surprisingly steers clear of sleaziness. None of the female characters are portrayed as victims, their revealing outfits are less provocative than many music videos from that era, and they all exhibit strong fighting skills.

The essence of “D.O.A.” lies in its direction by the late Corey Yuen, a renowned director and action choreographer from Hong Kong known for his work on early Jet Li films in the ’90s and action sequences in American movies in the 2000s. Yuen contributed significantly to 2002’s “The Transporter,” receiving a co-director credit for his work. “D.O.A.” marks his solo directorial credit and is his final film in that role before his passing during the pandemic, which was only recently made public. Yuen’s swan song is a unique and exhilarating accomplishment; “D.O.A.” is perhaps the closest an English-language movie has come to being All Fights! The main characters Christie, Tina, and Kasumi are brought to an island to participate in a fighting tournament, engaging in battles before, during, and after the main event while uncovering mysterious occurrences along the way (with Eric Roberts making an appearance).

These fights are not realistic. They combine traditional stunt work, wire work, and obvious computer effects. But Yuen knows how to use these tools together to fake it with style. That style is basically if the gals from McG’s Charlie’s Angels movies were somehow transported into a Zhang Yimou movie like Hero or House of Flying Daggers. Colors are bright, scarves are flowing, ninjas are plentiful, women are constantly leaping into the air and balancing themselves on swords – stuff like that. There is almost no dramatic tension, and the acting could be charitably described as charming.

Charm counts for a lot, though, and acting isn’t just the recitation of dialogue. Aoki and Pressley especially give impressive physical performances; even when their moves are impossible, they throw themselves into the illusion. As shameless as the movie can seem, there’s also a pure-cinema element to its T&A silliness. And look: How often does a video game movie actually star three women, instead of sticking one in the fifth-lead slot? I’m not saying the bikini-heavy fighting movie with a volleyball break is Doing a Feminism, but it’s nice to dig up an artifact of mid-2000s culture that’s playfully problematic, rather than sneeringly so.

Jesse Hassenger (@rockmarooned) is a writer living in Brooklyn podcasting at www.sportsalcohol.com. He’s a regular contributor to The A.V. Club, Polygon, and The Week, among others.