"G.I Joe: Retaliation" - directed by Jon M. Chu
In preparation for this one I picked up a copy of "G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra" on blu-ray and revisited a film that I have not seen since it hit the big screens four years ago.
I recall liking it back then but as the credits rolled on my TV I was surprised at what a clunky, dull experience it was.
I liked Sienna Miller and Joseph Gordon-Levitt but otherwise it was pretty weak stuff.
So, I was a bit worried about what I was in for with the sequel then.
To add fuel to the fire this movie was supposed to have come out in the middle of last year but was delayed for almost a year.
Initially the delay was put down to the decision to post process the film into 3D but apparently the real reason was that the movie test screening feedback indicated that viewers were underwhelmed.
Also, they wanted more of Channing Tatum.
Fair enough too- he has had a good couple of years with a string of hits and for me Tatum was the real star of the very funny "21 Jump Street".
I'm a convert- I think he's great.
But still - delays are very rarely a good sign for movies- specially ones that cost $135 million.
Post Processing 3D costs $10-$15 million and then there is the cost of re-shoots and a whole new marketing campaign.
All of this for a sequel to a movie that was not very well received in the first place.
However after a few concerns in the opening scenes of "G.I Joe: Retaliation" it soon becomes apparent that this is a leaner, more focused movie than its predecessor and a hell of a lot more fun.
Adding Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Bruce Willis tends to do that.
I loved what Johnson added to the Fast and Furious franchise in the truly excellent fifth movie.
In "G.I Joe: Retaliation" he plays Roadblock- on the surface a character not a million miles from Fast 5's Luke Hobbs.
He wears the same military garb in both but as Roadblock he is less intense than Hobbs.
He's a family man and has a sense of humour.
He lives for more than one purpose unlike the single minded Hobbs who is only focused on whomever he is charged with hunting down.
I would imagine the scene in which he plays videogames and goofs around with his kids alongside Channing Tatum's Duke was one of those added at the suggestion of preview audiences.
It feels a little tacked on but it is fun to see the easy back and forth that the two seem to have.
Shame then that Tatum departs from the story minutes later.
One look at the posters for this film tells you all that you need to know in terms of who the star really is of course and Johnson does a fine job.
Any time he shares the screen with Bruce Willis it is almost hypnotic.
It is like watching an action movie handing over of the generational baton.
Johnson has mentioned in interviews that he has a high regard for Willis and it is clear to see whenever they are in a scene together.
Chemistry is a major part of why this movie works at all.
Sex appeal is beyond a doubt another.
I am not hugely familiar with Adrianne Palicki but she provides the bulk of the eye candy on the female side.
Women are more than well catered for with Tatum, Johnson and D.J Cotrona and in return the boys get several scenes in which Palicki packs some serious firepower, wears some seriously sizzling outfits and in one shameless sequence is seen reflected in a mirror stepping out of an outfit.
This is a movie that knows what its audience wants and is singularly focused in providing it.
The makers of "The Animatrix Final Flight of the Osiris" might be making some calls to their lawyers after seeing the blindfolded fight in the dojo sequence featuring Elodie Yung's Jinx and Ray Park's Snake Eyes.
It is remarkably close to the animated short released as part of the "Matrix Reloaded" marketing campaign.
Gorgeous women aside the real purpose here is action and "G.I Joe: Retaliation" brings the goods.
They are PG-13 goods but still - it delivers.
It suffers a little from that scourge of modern action flicks- choppy editing- but it is not too bad on the whole.
The clear action highlight is the mountain monastery sequence that sees Snake Eyes and Jinx hurtling across sheer cliff faces on ropes whilst ninja's attack them from all sides with katana's flailing.
It's an exciting and visually stunning scene and almost worth the ticket price on its own.
In fact all in all this is a pretty damned fine looking movie considering the budget is big rather than huge.
I strongly suggest seeing this in 3D too - the effect is very, very good here.
Post processing of 3D has come along in leaps and bounds and this film is a good example of what can be done if it is done right.
There are a few make you flinch moments as objects and cast members fly out of the screen but it is the frame depth that makes the 3D a nice addition.
It's very well done.
So, clearly I liked this movie but I also must warn even as I recommend.
This is a dumb film.
Obviously we're not looking for slick dialogue or a deep plot - this is a big, goofy action flick based on a range of toys for goodness sake.
But there is a remarkable lack of plot and the film feels like a bunch of scenes cobbled together into some sort of beginning/middle/end order.
Sure- there is the ringer President who is really bad guy Zartan and he wants to rule the world but that is about it for plot.
Dialogue is a whole other thing.
This film is the cinematic equivalent of the cheese pizza.
To love cheese pizza is to realise that you are technically getting less for your money and that you are getting a very shallow, one flavour experience.
There is no beef or chicken. No onions, no bacon... just crust, sauce and cheese.
But if you agree to these limitations and the cheesy slab is well executed it can be satisfying stuff.
(Sal's NY pizza has the best in town by the way- trust me... http://www.sals.co.nz/)
And boy with this movie do we get cheese!
Here is a sampling of the dialogue....
"There's only one man who could authourise a strike like that and I voted for him"
"Drive it like you stole it!"
Both lines feature in the trailers so it is clear that the studio understands that the cheesiness is part of the appeal.
And there is undeniably appeal here.
Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson's action chops combined with the gorgeous double whammy of Palicki and Yung and some pretty decent effects sequences (London's destruction is a beaut) make this big, dumb fun.
The 3D is great and it is never boring for a second.
I would be fascinated to have seen this shot as a hard R with some serious gunshot action and realistic Katana slicing but of course that was never going to happen.
RZA is out and out awful as the Blind Master - every time he speaks it is groan inducingly bad.
It's the only really off performance.
I almost feel bad commenting on any of the acting in a movie like this but there is a trick to pulling off dialogue and scenes such as those in films like this and clearly not everyone can do it.
More Channing Tatum would have helped but all in all this is a good night at the movies.
Loud, dumb, big goofy action.
I like it.
Oh, and special bonus for Walton Goggins fans.... here has a decent albeit small role here.
Love that crazy guy!
I recall liking it back then but as the credits rolled on my TV I was surprised at what a clunky, dull experience it was.
I liked Sienna Miller and Joseph Gordon-Levitt but otherwise it was pretty weak stuff.
So, I was a bit worried about what I was in for with the sequel then.
To add fuel to the fire this movie was supposed to have come out in the middle of last year but was delayed for almost a year.
Initially the delay was put down to the decision to post process the film into 3D but apparently the real reason was that the movie test screening feedback indicated that viewers were underwhelmed.
Also, they wanted more of Channing Tatum.
Fair enough too- he has had a good couple of years with a string of hits and for me Tatum was the real star of the very funny "21 Jump Street".
I'm a convert- I think he's great.
But still - delays are very rarely a good sign for movies- specially ones that cost $135 million.
Post Processing 3D costs $10-$15 million and then there is the cost of re-shoots and a whole new marketing campaign.
All of this for a sequel to a movie that was not very well received in the first place.
However after a few concerns in the opening scenes of "G.I Joe: Retaliation" it soon becomes apparent that this is a leaner, more focused movie than its predecessor and a hell of a lot more fun.
Adding Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Bruce Willis tends to do that.
 |
| The good guys - Tatum, Johnson, Palicki, Willis, Cotrona and Lee |
In "G.I Joe: Retaliation" he plays Roadblock- on the surface a character not a million miles from Fast 5's Luke Hobbs.
He wears the same military garb in both but as Roadblock he is less intense than Hobbs.
He's a family man and has a sense of humour.
He lives for more than one purpose unlike the single minded Hobbs who is only focused on whomever he is charged with hunting down.
I would imagine the scene in which he plays videogames and goofs around with his kids alongside Channing Tatum's Duke was one of those added at the suggestion of preview audiences.
It feels a little tacked on but it is fun to see the easy back and forth that the two seem to have.
Shame then that Tatum departs from the story minutes later.
One look at the posters for this film tells you all that you need to know in terms of who the star really is of course and Johnson does a fine job.
Any time he shares the screen with Bruce Willis it is almost hypnotic.
It is like watching an action movie handing over of the generational baton.
Johnson has mentioned in interviews that he has a high regard for Willis and it is clear to see whenever they are in a scene together.
Chemistry is a major part of why this movie works at all.
 |
| Adrianne Palicki - sizzling |
I am not hugely familiar with Adrianne Palicki but she provides the bulk of the eye candy on the female side.
Women are more than well catered for with Tatum, Johnson and D.J Cotrona and in return the boys get several scenes in which Palicki packs some serious firepower, wears some seriously sizzling outfits and in one shameless sequence is seen reflected in a mirror stepping out of an outfit.
This is a movie that knows what its audience wants and is singularly focused in providing it.
The makers of "The Animatrix Final Flight of the Osiris" might be making some calls to their lawyers after seeing the blindfolded fight in the dojo sequence featuring Elodie Yung's Jinx and Ray Park's Snake Eyes.
It is remarkably close to the animated short released as part of the "Matrix Reloaded" marketing campaign.
 |
| "The Animatrix: Final Flight of the Osiris" (top left) - all other images are "G.I Joe: Retaliation" |
They are PG-13 goods but still - it delivers.
It suffers a little from that scourge of modern action flicks- choppy editing- but it is not too bad on the whole.
The clear action highlight is the mountain monastery sequence that sees Snake Eyes and Jinx hurtling across sheer cliff faces on ropes whilst ninja's attack them from all sides with katana's flailing.
It's an exciting and visually stunning scene and almost worth the ticket price on its own.
In fact all in all this is a pretty damned fine looking movie considering the budget is big rather than huge.
I strongly suggest seeing this in 3D too - the effect is very, very good here.
Post processing of 3D has come along in leaps and bounds and this film is a good example of what can be done if it is done right.
There are a few make you flinch moments as objects and cast members fly out of the screen but it is the frame depth that makes the 3D a nice addition.
It's very well done.
 |
| Unquestionably the best scene in the movie - gonzo stuff. |
This is a dumb film.
Obviously we're not looking for slick dialogue or a deep plot - this is a big, goofy action flick based on a range of toys for goodness sake.
But there is a remarkable lack of plot and the film feels like a bunch of scenes cobbled together into some sort of beginning/middle/end order.
Sure- there is the ringer President who is really bad guy Zartan and he wants to rule the world but that is about it for plot.
Dialogue is a whole other thing.
This film is the cinematic equivalent of the cheese pizza.
To love cheese pizza is to realise that you are technically getting less for your money and that you are getting a very shallow, one flavour experience.
There is no beef or chicken. No onions, no bacon... just crust, sauce and cheese.
But if you agree to these limitations and the cheesy slab is well executed it can be satisfying stuff.
(Sal's NY pizza has the best in town by the way- trust me... http://www.sals.co.nz/)
And boy with this movie do we get cheese!
Here is a sampling of the dialogue....
"There's only one man who could authourise a strike like that and I voted for him"
"Drive it like you stole it!"
Both lines feature in the trailers so it is clear that the studio understands that the cheesiness is part of the appeal.
And there is undeniably appeal here.
Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson's action chops combined with the gorgeous double whammy of Palicki and Yung and some pretty decent effects sequences (London's destruction is a beaut) make this big, dumb fun.
The 3D is great and it is never boring for a second.
I would be fascinated to have seen this shot as a hard R with some serious gunshot action and realistic Katana slicing but of course that was never going to happen.
RZA is out and out awful as the Blind Master - every time he speaks it is groan inducingly bad.
It's the only really off performance.
I almost feel bad commenting on any of the acting in a movie like this but there is a trick to pulling off dialogue and scenes such as those in films like this and clearly not everyone can do it.
More Channing Tatum would have helped but all in all this is a good night at the movies.
Loud, dumb, big goofy action.
I like it.
Oh, and special bonus for Walton Goggins fans.... here has a decent albeit small role here.
Love that crazy guy!
| Rated | M for mild action violence |
| Running Time: | 110 minutes (1hr 41 mins without end credits) |
| Starring: |
| Swayne Johnson | --- Roadblock |
| Bruce Willis | --- General Joe Colton |
| Channing Tatum | --- Duke |
| Jonathan Pryce | --- President |
| Byung-hun Lee | --- Storm Shadow |
| Ray Stevenson | --- Firefly |
| Elodie Yung | --- Jinx |
| Adrianne Palicki | --- Jaye |
| Ray Park | --- Snake Eyes |
| Walton Goggins | --- Warden Nigel James |
| Arnold Vosloo | --- Zartan |
| RZA | --- Blind Master |
| James Carville | --- James Carville |
| Luke Bracey | --- Cobra Commander |
| D.J Cotrona | --- Flint |
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