Rated
PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Combat Violence and Martial Arts Action Throughout,
and for Brief Sensuality and Language)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 50 Minutes
Cast-
Dwayne
Johnson-Marvin F. Hinton/Roadblock
Adrianne
Palicki-Jaye Burnett/Lady Jaye
D.J.
Cotrona-Flint
Ray
Park-Snake Eyes
Elodie
Yung-Jinx
Joseph
Mazzello-Mouse
Channing
Tatum-Conrad S. Hauser/Duke
Bruce
Willis-General Joseph Colton
Luke
Bracey/Robert Baker (voice)-Cobra Commander
Lee
Byung-Hun-Thomas S. Arashikage/Storm Shadow
Ray
Stevenson-Firefly
Arnold
Vosloo-Zartan
Jonathan
Pryce-President of the United States
Robert
Fitzgerald Diggs/RZA-The Blind Master
Walton
Goggins-Warden Nigel James
 |
| Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson saves another doomed franchise in the long-delayed "G.I. Joe: Retaliation." |
Note: Screened on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at Regal E-Walk Stadium 13.
'Franchise
Viagra'…that's what Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is known for nowadays. If your film
series is stuck in a rut and in desperate need of saving, this is the guy to
call. A perfect example of a franchise that completely sputtered out of the
gate was 2009's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," based on the popular
action figures produced by Hasbro. Directed by Stephen Sommers, the film
managed to gross a solid $302.5 million worldwide despite receiving terrible
reviews (34% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a lukewarm reception from audiences. Given
the massive financial success of Michael Bay's "Transformers" and the
expensive marketing campaign, Paramount Pictures was obviously hoping to make
more. Keenly aware that "Rise of Cobra" was not well-liked (I gave it
a 1 out of 5 in my own review), the studio pretty much went back to the drawing
board, resulting in a sequel that also feels like a reboot. "G.I. Joe:
Retaliation" was all set to come out last June, with posters and
billboards plastered in every street corner but roughly five weeks before its
release, Paramount did the unthinkable: they delayed it for an additional nine
months. It came as a total shock to everyone because the studio had already
spent millions of dollars hyping up the film. The official reason was that it
was being post-converted into 3D. However, rumors surrounding the delay blamed
it on disastrous test screenings and the need for reshoots. So was it all worth
the wait? "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" is definitely superior when
compared to the original but as an action film, it's only passable.
After capturing
Destro and Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey, voice of Robert Baker) during the
nanomite crisis, Conrad 'Duke' Hauser (Channing Tatum) now leads a new team of
G.I. Joes, which consists of Marvin F. Hinton/Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Jaye
Burnett/Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), Flint (D.J. Cotrona), and Snake Eyes (Ray
Park). However, Storm Shadow (Lee Byung-Hun) remains at large while Zartan
(Arnold Vosloo) is currently disguised as the President of the United States
(Jonathan Pryce). Meeting with the President's cabinet, Zartan orders the G.I.
Joes to retrieve a number of nuclear warheads in Pakistan. When Duke confirms
to the White House that the mission was a success, Zartan decimates the G.I.
Joes with a military strike, framing them for stealing the warheads and
assassinating the Pakistani leader. The surviving Joes, Roadblock, Lady Jaye,
and Flint, vow to avenge their fallen comrades and regroup with the help of
retired general Joseph Colton (Bruce Willis). At the same time, Snake Eyes and
his protégé Jinx (Elodie Yung) hunt down Storm Shadow after he and Firefly (Ray
Stevenson) free Cobra Commander from a maximum security prison in Germany.
"Rise
of Cobra" remains one of the dumbest action films I've ever seen and while
"G.I. Joe: Retaliation" isn't that much smarter, this
quasi-sequel/reboot at least has a fun energy to it, something its predecessor
noticeably lacked. In an attempt to distance itself from Sommers' critically
lambasted original, "Zombieland" writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
have opted to retain only a few key players this time around. The convoluted relationship
involving Duke, Cobra Commander, and the Baroness is swept under the rug like
it never happened, with the only plotline being carried over is Zartan stealing
the President's identity. The silly power suits and futuristic tech have also
been jettisoned or toned down, allowing "Retaliation" to more firmly
embrace the roots of its source material. Director Jon M. Chu of "Step
Up" fame gives the sequel a grittier, realistic tone but while these changes
are welcome, the plot is still just an excuse to blow stuff up. The fractured
narrative doesn't do the film any favors as it follows two stories running in
parallel with each other. One focuses on the surviving Joes trying to clear
their name while the other concerns Snake Eyes' search for Storm Shadow. Chu constantly
switches between the two, resulting in choppy pacing and awkward subplots (like
Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's rivalry) that threaten to grind the picture to a
halt. Character development is virtually nonexistent beyond a few throwaway
lines and the dialogue can get downright embarrassing. In fact, everything that
the Blind Master says will make you wince. That's how bad it is. There were some
genuinely funny bits, such as when Lady Jaye goes undercover as a Fox News
correspondent, prompting the disguised Zartan to joke with a wink and a nod, 'Oh,
of course it's Fox News! That's why you look so fair and balanced.'
What really
saves "Retaliation" is the action and this is where the film truly
shines. Sure, it looks ridiculous considering it's all based on a bunch of
action figures but I must admit that it has a certain goofy charm. The best
set-piece arrives at the one-hour mark when Snake Eyes confronts Storm Shadow
in the Himalayas. Engaging in a bitter duel, their fight soon leads to a
high-flying ninja battle across the mountains and it's a thrilling, beautifully
choreographed scene despite its complete disregard for the laws of physics. The
3D certainly helps with the immersion and I have to say, this is definitely one
of the better post-conversions I've seen. There's a great sense of depth and it
allows the action to truly come alive. Although fast-paced and full of
explosions, the other set-pieces aren't quite as memorable. Fortunately, Chu
throws in a lot of fun gadgets for the characters to use such as remote-controlled
bullets and a motorcycle that shoots missiles which then splits apart…into more
missiles. At one point, General Joseph Colton shows the Joes his massive
collection of guns. Every cabinet and drawer he opens around his house is just
guns, guns, and more guns. Hell, even the fruit basket is made up of grenades.
This outrageous scene perfectly encapsulates what "G.I. Joe:
Retaliation" is all about and you can't help but smile as it
whole-heartedly embraces the concept of being a glorified toy commercial.
You
don't go to a film like "Retaliation" to see award-winning
performances but a large part of its appeal can be traced back to the presence
of Dwayne Johnson. This guy just oozes charisma and Johnson is clearly enjoying
himself as he takes on all the bad guys while wielding the biggest guns (and
I'm not referring to his arms). Who would've thought a WWE wrestler would turn
into our generation's most engaging action star? That's right, no one!
Unfortunately, Adrianne Palicki and D.J. Cotrona aren't quite up to his level
since they're given little to do with their characters. A sleepy Bruce Willis
pops in briefly for a paycheck while Channing Tatum exits the picture before
the film's first twenty-minutes are up. Ray Park and Lee Byung-Hun manage to impress
thanks to their outstanding fight scenes but it is the villains, played by
Jonathan Pryce and Ray Stevenson, who succeed in matching Johnson as they chew
the scenery with an unending barrage of cheesy one-liners. The worst
performance is given by rapper RZA as the Blind Master. His line-delivery is
just painful to watch and he almost derails the film every time he opens his
mouth. I don't know what Chu was thinking when he cast him.
"G.I. Joe:
Retaliation" was released on March 28, 2013 and has received
overwhelmingly negative reviews with 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics agreed
that it was 'arguably superior to its predecessor, [but the film] is
overwhelmed by its nonstop action and too nonsensical and vapid to leave a
lasting impression.' That hasn't prevented audiences from paying to see
"Retaliation" as it's already on track for at least a four-day $50
million debut at the domestic box office. However, it's unclear how much money
Paramount Pictures wasted when the studio delayed its release. "G.I. Joe:
Retaliation" is the cinematic equivalent of junk food but one that's
directed with a child-like enthusiasm from Chu. It knows exactly what kind of
film it is and of course, knowing is only half the battle.
Final
Rating: 3 out of 5
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