G.I.Joe - Thoughts

Late in 08 when I was looking at the list of blockbuster releases targeted for the summer of 09, the one that left me the sense of, ‘I can’t wait’ was G.I.Joe. As someone who’s staged countless battles in my garden with my collection of action figures, and watched all the cartoons, its appeal is obvious. Needless to say I’m not unique in any sense here, as there must be legions of children who have grown up with G.I.Joe. So the fact that the movie had its audience cut out was a given; its appeal to the remainder of the world was the question.


After sitting through 2 hours of extremely face paced action, I was left with a feeling of ‘When can I watch this again’. The mood was light, the plot pretty straight forward, and the action sequences were fun and entertaining. When I said fast paced I meant fast paced; you’ll need to stay focused to keep track of what’s happening, as some sequences are extremely quick, though comprising a certain level of complexity to the action elements therewith. The way events unfold and the terrorist organization that is Cobra takes form is interesting. While there were few deviations from the cartoon and the original storyline, I’d assume that they were necessary to keep things real. In that sense I’d have to say that the director Stephen Sommer was successful in pleasing the fans while not alienating the general public. A friend of mine who watched the movie with me, quite enjoyed it, though she had no prior knowledge of anything G.I.Joe.

The characterization was perhaps the most vital piece of G.I.Joe’s success. While costume and effects would help connect the dots, fitting personalities were required to complete the circle. Christopher Eccleston who played the role of James McCullen, the head of M.A.R.S. industries, and also the eventual source of direction at Cobra fit the role well. While his cartoon counterpart seemed more capable of physical combat, he did a fine job in seeming focused, tactically adept, well thought out, and very believing in his own ways. Sienna Miller as the Baroness looked great in black and portrayed the head of a specialized unit well; cold and deadly indeed. Dennis Quaid as General Hawk was brilliant; the senior war veteran acting as the head of ops, and liaising with the NATO as the voice of G.I.Joe. Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans as Duke and Ripcord respectively were the main characters in the movie; with the events being tracked mostly focusing on them. Marlon Wayans contributed to the comic element, and helped keep things light. Rachel Nichols playing the redhead scarlet was fitting; true to her cartoon counterpart she was tough, went toe to toe with the men, and had a sarcastic sense of humor. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje of Lost fame (Mr. Eko), fit the bill of Heavy Duty; the big beefy afro American. But his role was limited for most part. I’ll stop here as there are way too many characters to go over.

This movie has been in the theatres in Chennai for a few weeks now. I only finally managed to see it this week. Color tone was rich and natural; bright red’s, blue’s and greens. No specific filter was applied. I’d expect the DVD to be similar. Sound was good, and there was ample use of the 3D sound stage. That said, with transitions being as quick, it’s hard to mention anything specifically, but nothing seemed off. Expect long action sequences and special effects galore.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (A fun, action, blockbuster – possibly the best movie out this year)