Movie Review: G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra

G. I. Joe is not meant to be a serious movie. It takes over the top action, mostly campy dialogue and a convoluted, twist filled story, and makes it the funnest film this summer. It accomplished what Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen did not; it is action from start to finish without feeling like it went on for too long. It is the type of film that brings out the kid in you that would build sandcastles, then destroy them with a childish glory. If you want more from the film, you will be disappointed. But if you are looking to have a lot of fun at the movies this summer, check out G. I. Joe.

Starring Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans, the movie follows these two men as they join a multi-national task force that deals with global threats from some of the worst villains the world has ever seen. James McCullen, a weapons manufacturer, has developed a nanotechnology that can completely destroy anything it touches. In order to bring his twisted worldview to life, he plans to launch missiles around the world and cause widespread damage. Duke, the new recruit, recognizes a former love working for the evil organization. The movie shows a lot of back story to Duke and Snake Eyes, giving us an understanding of what made each of the soldiers the way they are. It is not very deep or well fitting for the story, but it is good that they wanted to give some depth to the characters.

The action sequences is where the movie shines. At times, the action is fast paced and hectic, while other times it slows down to show the audience what is happening. I liked that they did that, because sometimes movies rush scenes so they do not need to spend a lot of time on the details and graphics. A lot of work went into making the action look good, and it does. The accelerator suits do look a bit animated at times, but considering all the crashes and action taking place during the chase, it is forgivable. The only thing that bothered me was that G.I. Joe was changed to be a worldwide task force, rather then being an American organization. It was only a thought and did not effect the movie.

Like I said before, the film is fun. It is far from perfect, but movies can be entertaining without being cinematic masterpieces. Sure, the dialogue and story could have been touched up much more, but if you’re looking for a good action flick, check out G.I. Joe. Let us know what you think of the movie below.

Fanboyz Grade: B-