I was a little bit of a fan of the 1980s TV series G.I. JOE, but it always nagged me no one ended up dead in the cartoon
despite the number of bullets fired at each other (Joe and Cobra alike). I did try to watch the series years later
and couldn't get into it. However, I did enjoy the live action film version from director Stephen Sommers.
It does have faults like too much bad CGI, Snake Eyes having a mouth in his costume (I wanted a closer face mask look like
his chaarcter in the comics and cartoon) and the editing for the action scenes being too quickly cut.
Other than that, I did enjoy it for being a popcorn action film that didn't take itself too serious and it was better than
the TRANSFORMERS sequel. Sienna Miller does steal the movie away from everyone else in black hair and black leather
as The Baroness despite her character being rewritten from the 1980s cartoon and Marvel Comics versions. You can see
Sienna Miller enjoyed playing The Baroness. I also did think Rachel Nichols did rock as Scarlett.
Miller and Nichols steal this film away from the male actors with only Christopher Eccleston rocking it up as McCullen (the
evil mastermind arms dealer/arms company owner who will become Destro). The stes are big and I really do
see that Stephen Sommers would love to direct a STAR WARS movie if given teh chance given the big set pieces and battles (the
underwater battle being an example).
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA revolves around the theft of nanite warheads that will destroy anything metal.
Two Army guys, Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans), are drawn into the new conflict between the international
G.I. JOE taskforce and the Cobra after an ex-girlfriend of Duke's, Ana aka the Baroness (Miller), attempts to steal the warheads
from a NATO convoy. The head of G.I. Joe is Gereral Hawk (Dennis Quaid who seems to be sleepwalking
through this role). His team includes Ripcord, the silent Snake Eyes (played by Ray Park aka Darth Maul to STAR
WARS geeks), some French guy tech genius, and the reheaded genius Scarlett (Nichols). Cobra has Destro, the Doctor,
Storm Shadow (who is a little jealous when it comes to the Baroness),and Zartan (Arnold Vosloo). The movie amounts
to plenty of action, a little humor, scenes to explain the plot and give backstory into the characters, nods to the
1980s cartoon (Knowing Is Half The Battle saying is used), and Sienna Miller rocking whatever she wears.
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA is popcorn action fare at it's best. It is better than Sommers crap like VAN HELSING
and good as THE MUMMY and DEEP RISING. I do thing DISTRICT 9 will be kicking the film's butt next weekend. Still
it is a nice escapist popcorn fun for August. Go see it and say "Yo, Joe!". The film even sets up plenty
of threads for a sequel.
this movie review is (c)8-8-2009 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted iwthout permission. send all comments to
lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
