Movie Review: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra by Rudy T.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

The 80's Cartoon Classic bursts onto the big screen.




G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is an origin story telling how Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) join the organization. Duke and Ripcord are entrusted to guard and deliver nanobite warheads for NATO until their unit is attacked by The Baroness, who nearly escapes with the warheads until the Joes arrive. Duke refuses to give the warheads over to the Joes until General Hawk (Dennis Quaid) agrees to allow him to deliver the weapons to their base aka The Pit. Once there, General Hawk thanks Duke and Ripcord for the delivery but says they aren't needed anymore and begins to ask the Joes who were in battle if they knew who was trying to steal the warheads; which they don't but Duke uses his past with the Baroness to allow himself and Ripcord onto the team.As this is happening, weapons dealer James McCullen is preparing for a way to regain the warheads he's sold to NATO and use them to spark a war. He uses a tracking device to allow the Baroness and Storm Shadow to find the Pit and recover the warheads. With the weapons back in Cobra's hands, can G.I. Joe rise to the challenge and stop them in time?

As a child of the 80's G.I. Joe was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. I had the figures and saw the animated movie so when I heard there was a live action movie coming out I was all about seeing it opening night. The story was solid enough, this being the first in a franchise they have to establish who's who, back stories etc; but my only problem came from the some of the CGI. I'm aware that the vehicles shown aren't real but it shouldn't be obvious. Ray Park (X-Men, StarWars: The Phantom Menace) turned out a great performance as G.I. Joe's mute ninja Snake Eyes, never overshadowing the other actors but commanding the screen during his action packed battles. Director Stephen Sommers (The Mummy) strength showed most while filming the flashback scenes of Duke in a war zone and if kept in that vein would be good for the sequel. All in all, a good summer popcorn movie.


Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Marlon Wayans, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

7/10

Rudy T.
Staff Reviewer