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SOUND OFF

Sound Off: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Your Thoughts?

by Alex Billington
August 7, 2009

Now that you've seen it, what did you think? The summer isn't over yet! Landing in movie theaters everywhere this weekend is G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, yet another big summer action movie based on a Hasbro toyline. Of course, the big question is, as always, if it's any good? Was Stephen Sommers the right choice for director? Did the cast ensemble do well? Or was it just a cheesy piece of crap not even worthy of the ticket price? Was it fun and entertaining or just an eye-sore and glossy disaster? After months debate, it's time to speak up! Sound off below, leave your thoughts, and let us know what you thought of G.I. Joe!

To fuel the fire, I wasn't the biggest fan of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra at all, really. I will admit that it was fun, very fun, and if I were 10 or 12 years old, this would probably be my favorite movie of the summer. But since I'm a lot older, I can see right through all that. It's such a ridiculously cheesy mess, that sometimes it's hard to even enjoy the fun. The performances were all utter crap, the script was trash, the dialogue was bad, and the CGI was pretty shitty as well. But then again, the action was fun and it was occasionally amusing, but all-in-all, it just wasn't my cup o' tea. If you're a G.I. Joe fan, you'll probably love it, but I'm not one.

What did you think of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra? Good summer fun or cheesy, awful crap?

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mikeamorgan

wow...no comments yet. Has anyone watched it???? this is not a good sign lol
Darren

okay i came back from the midnight viewing and it wasn't great but it was bad - its a lot of fun for kids but the plot didnt really stick but when fans of the series since the 80's sees Cobra commander i swear i saw tears of joy in their eyes overall i give this movie 7/10
Ezza

If I was 5 years old then I'd say brilliant. But as an adult I thought it was garbage!
Cat

Nothing special. Good effects about covers it.
Cody

So if I were to see the movie with the same mentality I had when I was 10 years old, I'll enjoy it? That's good, because that's what I planned on doing anyway! I've been following this movie with the kid inside me screaming for joy.
hamish butler

there was a definite gay subtext to the movie....which aint always a bad thing
quez

i thought it waz insane it waz really good i thought it could of used some better dialogue but it waz still better then transformers and im not really a fan of the series i dnt even recall having a action figure of it!!!!
bozoconnors

from grammar & punctuation - I'm assuming #7 is a younger fan?
Shinobi

I saw kids with bored faces in my screening. I thought it was really awful. Bad Acting, Horrible CGI and lots of bad cheese. Those things really didn't permit me to enjoy the movie. It was like one of the worst episodes of the toon, making it real and putting extra cheese. *mild spoilers* -Best action came from kid storm shadow and snake eyes kitchen fight. -The girls were hot, especially Scarlett. -Storm Shadow was pretty cool. Snake Eyes was meh. -Marlon Wayans was one of the better actors! imo wtf -The FLASHBACKS!!! dear god the FLASHBACKS!!! hahaha awful
AllmightyKeim

I thought it was awsome. The sory line made sense. They didn't force or rush anything. Comedy in it was funny. Action was nonstop. Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, the fights, were damn near beautiful. I didn't see one bad thing about it. Now I understand that a lot of people will hate it. But come on, it's based on Toys and a Cartoon. It was perfect. Go see this movie expecting a 80's cartoon. I though it was well played. Oh and Waynes didn't piss me of in this. He did a great job.
mbunch181

I haven't seen this movie and I can tell you that it was bad. How so? Duh?
Orli

Watched it a week ago in a screening and I am glad I didn't have to pay for this one, because it's not worth the money. Though, Sienna Miller and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were good enough to at least keep my attention away from Channing Tatum's terrible acting. I just wonder how much were they paid to agree and participate in such a mess? And to top it all, we had a Brendan Fraser appearance. Not to mention those terrible flashbacks! It was like a Street Fighter remake, except they didn't hire Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue this time.
TediusTed

A movie based on a toy franchise that is more aimed at their market audience young boys is going to be exactly what they want. What the hell do adults hope to expect to see? This is movie wasnt made for the likes of you!
TCox

The people who will hate this are the same people who hate flames on Optimus. I'm gonna take my kid to see it, but I will check my inner movie critic at the door first.
Shaun

Sure the acting isn't great, the plot is pretty outrageous and the cgi has some hiccups at points, but I'm a hardcore GI Joe fan and this movie actually surprised me quite a bit. If you're expecting a great movie, go back and watch the Dark Knight, but if you want a fun summer action movie and some really great entertainment, I recommend it. It's superior to Transformers 2 in my opinion in the way that it captures the essence of the franchise it represents, in a big summer popcorn film. If you're a Joe fan then you HAVE to see this if nothing else for Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow going at it. Kinda gave me chills. You don't have to be eight to enjoy this, but if you are a Joe fan this film may remind you what you loved so much about it when you were eight.
Michael Radley

can someone tell me if "knowing is half the battle" is a line in the movie
mike

#17 yes in the early stages of the movie it is said by Hawk while chatting with Duke. i liked it Cobra commando was cool and the fights where great
Michael Field

This didn't need to be a GI-Joe movie. It's like they just used the names. And where's the song?! Young boys will like it...then they'll grow up and watch it again fifteen-twenty years later and realize that maybe it wasn't as good as they remember.
Michael Radley

thanks #18
Tomer

I cant believe I went out to a midnight showing last night AND spent 10 dollars on this. I think it was hands down the worst movie I've seen all year
Ram Kunchur

Its not yet released in INDIA, but I am gonna watch it anyways, for all u people who said they did not like it, you need some mental doctor's advice. A superhero flick has never failed and never will, But I am eagerly waiting for the Dark Knight's sequel. Later.
Hector

Sorry Ram but you're wrong. Watchmen, Catwoman, and Superman Returns are all superhero flicks that failed/lost money for their respective studios.
CL

it was a FUN movie. it's way better than Transformers 2. in fact, it think it's a potentially better franchise than Transformers. it's got the right tone for a toy/cartoon property. I don't want to see Shia dying, going to robot heaven and seeing robot gods telling him some "destiny" BS. Just give me a simple good vs. evil story and get me into some fun action. And you can't hate on hi-tech/espionage/military/ninja battles from land, sea and air.
El Guapo

So we all agreed then. if you are younger then 15, this is the movie for you. But in no way should a grown ass man enjoy this. Yeah its for kids but it shouldn't talk to them like they are retards. Where the wild things are is based off a kids book and its going to be beautiful. You wont need to have the excuse, "oh its for kids so its ok its that a has many dumb moments/cheesy." You can make a movie for kids and not have it be retarded.
http://scratchmynuts.com tboogler

me big ball bag slap around in the wind
Alex

I saw the movie on a pre screen and i thought it was funny because of all the action packed things that were going on. Some lines were cheesy but overall pretty cool. Sienna Miller is hot!!!
Franred

if i were kids... i will say, it's a dame good movie... very entertaining... but... as an adult... only one word... 'SUCK'! the story is not strong enough... too simple... besides the sexy siena miller, all the actor was cast badly... more like a comedian rather than elite squad...! the only one good thing is Snake Eyes vs Storm Shadows... very cool...
wrongturn687

First off let me say that I haven't seen the movie yet and while all I ever hear about this flick is that it's better than Transformers 2 is that really saying much ? I mean considering how bad T2 was almost every summer flick to have come out even Drag Me to Hell and Orphan were better and they weren't big budget summer blockbusters. I really wan't to hear more besides it was atleast better than T2 becuase it doesn't really sound like everyone is all that enthusiastic abouth this flick unless they have really LOW expectations.
Rorschach90

#22, that's exactly the problem with Hollywood. Just because a movie didn't turn a profit doesn't mean it's bad. Trans2 will make a huge profit, but it's the biggest trash of the year.
CL

i bring up Transformers 2 because some adults do like that movie a lot and it's making crazy amounts of cash. hmm.. i would say it Sommers best film, which is still not saying too much either haha. i would absolutely go in there with low expectations. it's on the same level and tone as his Mummy films.
Randy

So this is the 'Smallville' Superman Costume? HERE http://tinyurl.com/ku825c
Xerxex

What about Joseph Gordon-Levitt?
Randy

BTW GI JOE sucked and Harry Knowels said it was good. What a sell out!
Brian

What a piece of S**t!!!! Even though I got in free I still feel gypped.
Mark

All that is left after seeing G.I Joe is how many Razzies it will win next year. I smell a Razzie record. It really was that bad; even my kids were laughing at it.
Brian Barajas

#22 superman returns made quite a bit of money actually, and i think in the end watchmen will too.....
S

Was exactly what I expected, a fast paced, big action, popcorn flick. Seriously, what did you people expect? Also, the accelorater suites parts weren't as bad as the trailers made them seem. Didn't really see them other than in one part.
josh

i wish you would stop saying "to fuel the fire"
Ryan

I'm glad you came out an said its sucks, Alex. I'm sick of it getting good reviews because they somehow think it had to be cheesy or think cheesy is good. I enjoy a good mindless action movie, but this movie is horrible. Yet they bash Terminator 4 and Transformers 2 alot more. GI Joe was better then both of those? What? Dosent make sense to me.
Jeep-Fu

I thought it was bad ass. I was really concerned after watching the many crappy trailers but this movie surprised me. Awesome action. Awesome special effects (I don't know how people could see the effects as crappy). I didn't have a problem with the dialog. The plot was fine. (as was the baroness and scarlet) The only problems I had with the movie were visual problems (conbra commander, baroness' voice).
nem

Who gives a shit what people think?
Cody

Haha I'm digging what #41 said.
Luis M

Who gives a shit what #41 thinks?
Movie Watcher

I agree with #10, #23, #26, and #40 this movie and Star Trek are excellent team action movies.
Farris

That was the best 'terrible movie' ever.
Tom

Probably one of the worst films i have ever seen. Truly, truly awful.
Don

I thought it was done well. I love the little "cameo". I was surprised. I thought they would screw this film up but they did not.
Scott

The trailers looked pretty cool.. But so far it sounds really lame... lol I think I'll wait a little when it gets cheaper then go see it... Or maybe I'll just watch it off the web. Then decide if I like it or not. lol
FanBoy2100

AWSOME!!!1
Ronnie

I loved G.I.joe. Cartoons, toys, comics... But if there's one thing I hate its when they change major plot themes. Scarlett & Ripcord? Duke & Baroness? Killing Storm Shadow? WTF? Just use the story that has worked for 30+ years. Also I cant stand the lead actor. I mean a stick of beef jerky could've been more interesting. This dude sucks out loud. I thought Chris Klein was terrible in street fighter but he could give this guy some lessons. Also does Steven Sommers have to use everyone from the Mummy movies? Brendan Frasier, The wormy guy, and The mummy dude? c'mon cant these guys get jobs? Pros Storm Shadow- the best character in the movie... Awesome Baroness- I dont know this chick but she nails it Snake Eyes- Not as great as he could be but still pretty solid. The mouth was kinda creepy Zartan was cool but not used enough Cons CGI was terrible for a big budget movie. Way too fake looking in parts. Plot rewrites-- see above Did I mention the guy who plays duke sucks? I mean really. Laughable script, I mean giving commands in Celtic? GMAFB
http://www.movieviral.com Scott

I thought The Doctor was great, Ripcord was great, and Destro's mask sucked. The rest of the movie I forgot.
http://www.dv-ent.net DVent360

Sure, it was campy - not the best CGI - but it is what it is, a fun Summer movie and so far this Summer hasn't fared to well with the big budget movies. The trailer really sells the movie short by showing the same crap over and over. Snake Eyes mouth was awkward, the should have just kept it with a ninja mask or something. Overall, pleasantly surprised. I agree w/ # 45, best "terrible" movie I have seen in a long time.
AllmightyKeim

Its a Live Action Cartoon. What more did you all want?
moldybread

"Or was it just a cheesy piece of crap not even worthy of the ticket price? " thanks Alex...you said it better than I ever could...
The One

Just saw it. Thought it was ok, considering my expectations when I walked into the movie. It's a fun summer movie, but the worse movie ever? I've seen worse. Yes there was bad acting, and storyline wasn't that good but the action scenes and Sienna Miller made it watchable. #50, you're absolutely right, I just couldn't stand Duke... his acting was terrible, I was expecting him to "Step Up" anytime during the movie, and he never did... The way he played Duke was nothing like the original character, I never sense that he was that leader. His personality didn't match at all. Those enhancement suits has to go to, it did nothing for the movie. What was up with Snake Eyes fake mouth? I didn't remember seeing that in the posters. Also, as mentioned, what's up with the mixed up love relationships? In all, it's not as bad as what everyone is making it out to be, IMO. It's a franchise with potential. I give it 5/10 as a general movie rating, but as a summer fun flick, I give it a 7/10. Here's hoping for Sgt Slaughter in the next film... but please don't bring in the actual Sgt Slaughter to play himself!!!!! Yikes!!!
last Son

Seriously! I can't believe anyone actually went and seen this film. Without even seeing the trailer I had no interest in seeing this crap. As soon as I heard Stephen "The Mummy Returns" "Van Helsing" Sommers was directing I lost all interest. He is up there with Bratt Ratner as one of the worst directors around at the moment.
Stewie

I thought it was very entertaining. Going into this movie with so so expectations this movie seemed entertaining with the high tech toys that are their. Also had some funny parts. This want a dramatic action movie but more of a comedy action sort of feel to it. Don't think things will be awesome and don't get disappointed.....
Jonah

Can we get a Gi Joe reboot...
dee

You know what to expect when Marlon Wayans actually carries a movie, what marlon wayans!!! Are you kidding me! I was able to see a screening in San Diego with some military families and Both Marloan and The Step Up kid were there. Marlon was funny while the StepUp kid was stuck up and talks like he is a brother. Anyhow his acting is horrible but it is a fun summer flick.
billybob

I agree with the numerous other posters who have stated this; Your "to fuel the fire" comment is extremely redundant. I enjoy everything you post, but you need a new catchphrase.
TimT

It was a sound summer action flick. I took three 11 year old boys and they all left happy with it. The use of special effects and the creative weapons were excellent. It was also good for families as there was little if any cursing and no overt sexuality.
mathew

umm... so your telling me that cobra commander is the pissed off brother of dukes ex girlfriend?? suckkkeddd!!
Mark Drennan

I'm a huge fan of this 80's remake thing, loved Joe as a kid, but this looks like such absolute garbage there is no way I'm paying a penny to see it. Everyone in the same BS black suit to make the already crummy CG even easier? Fail. Huge fail.
Chris H.

I'm a huge G.I. Joe fan. I just got the recent dvd release of the entire original series and I have shelves of G.I. Joe figures and vehicles, not to mention the entire run of the G.I. Joe comic series up to date. Having said that, I approve of this movie. It's aimed at kids, yet it still had mature enough action to wow me. My suggestion if you aren't sure about seeing it... if you can't handle a movie aimed at children then stay the hell away from the theater. But if you're a genuine fan of G.I. Joe then I recommend that you see this. Still skeptical? The accelerator suits appear in only one major scene, Paris. Then it goes away. The trailers made up for this movie were AWFUL, the marketing team shouldn't be fired... they should be shot! But wait, there's more! For the fans of the 80's cartoon, Joes and Cobra have an enormous battle on a scale seen in the Star Wars: Clone Wars. BIG battle, just like you would see in the cartoon. The fights between Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes are just as epic. They were very well done and you get to see several fights between the two. (The flashback of the two as kids fighting was very badass. Best kid-fight ever in movie history) Again, if you can't handle the fact that its aimed at kids then don't see it. Otherwise, speaking as an obsessive Joe fan, go check it out. By the way, seeing the USS Flagg was awesome.
yojoe

people, if you don`t at all feel a bit like a 10 yr old why watch the movie? im sorry for all of the guys who think they dont dig it because they are adult. i mean c mon!!! you are trying to kill movies by giving you bull comments on this site that so not adult
jiop

the most curious part is that Alex liked transformers 2 but disliked GI joe, which was way better (ok the guys from digital domain are not as good as those at ILM or WETA) but the movie was ok, the story was ok, the acting sometimes good sometimes not too good (hmm duke lacks charisma indeed) dialogue were sometimes crappy ... but all in all I liked it ...
Parker Anderson

Honestly, I didn't think it was that bad. I read a few of these reviews before I saw it last night so maybe I was expecting something worse but c'mon- its a movie based on a childrens cartoon. Sure the script was horrible- but the old cartoons were pretty corny as well. This wasn't much different. The story was decent and I felt was on par with any other "terrorist group taking over the world" movie. The fight scenes were all pretty cool and intense. I think the setup for a sequel was great. Maybe like Twilight, the studio will realize what they have and be able to put more money and time into a sequel. The one thing that did really piss me off was I waited till after the credits to get a little PSA and....NOTHING!! Stephen Summers- you suck! This should have been a given. Movies like this have to have a little clip at the end for die hard fans. Transformers had it, X-Men had it- how could they not think this would have been a cool idea? Anyways- maybe a matinee film at best, but still entertaining even if not oscar worthy.
Blue Silver

Some of us should just read a book and stay away from the multiplex!
T

Beautifully BAD, horrible script
Cat

@Parker transformers didn't have anything after the credits this time.
Lar

Yeah, this movie was meant for little boys. It's nothing but the type of action they would enjoy. But, I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt did an awesome job! Maybe it was just the make-up, but still that had to have been his voice and he did a good job over the whole of the character. This movie got two questions out of me though: 1. Brendan Fraiser? Awesome! But, whaaattt? 2. What the hell is a little white kid doing as a street rat all alone on the streets of Tokyo??? Snake Eyes was really cool though.
millerhawk166

Excellent movie. My wife and I enjoyed the suttle hints back to the 80's and my kids enjoyed the hip new action scenes. Man the Baroness was definately cast well. Just enjoy it for what it is, a hasbro movie!
Timo

incredible story! great acting! awesome effects! brilliant script! best summer movie! .........SIKE
Timo

it really felt like i was watching 7 yr olds playing with gi joe toys and showing me. like two kids yelling at the other kid..."Youre destro!" and then puts a bucket on his head "and im commander!"
DoomCanoe

pretty lame! i agree with everyone who was saying that if i was 7 i would have loved this. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was bomb though
eric estrada

movie was horrible. the CGI was the worst i have seen in a while, the acting was terrible (denis quaid more than anything) the story was horrible. the only thing that was cool was snake eye and storm shadow. and i have to admit the hummer chase scene was pretty cool. everything apart from those 2 things was completely terrible. Oh and can i ask...Why did brandon fraiser have a cameo appearance? i wasn't expecting that.
Ish-Ash

All in All this movie was dull in CGI story was a bit dragging and acting....they couldve found better.. this moviw is jsut aimed at young kids so i understand in no way is it superior to Transfomers 2, this saga has alot of ground to cover if they ever decided ( which i honestly know they will) to do a sequel...other than that the one true element of this entire Pile of non digestive pile of shit would have to be.....Cobra Commander..thanks for ruining one of the great all time Super Villians in history..hopefully the seqeul will change all that
discojellyfish

Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Awful CGI in some parts of the movies, but some pretty bad ass action. Thank god Marlon Wayans wasn't a complete clown in the film. And Sienna Miller was flat out gorgeous as the Baroness.
Silver

still far better than transformers 2 and i liked it better than terminator4 ray park (snake-eyes) was the best actor in the movie . though destro and storm shadow were good (for a movie like this) and sienna miller and wayans weren't as bad as expected
Silver

what a shitty summer for wide release movies this is probably my favorite behind Potter and Star Trek
http://chicagofandom.blogspot.com chicagofandom

I thought It would suck so much people would forget "Revenge of the Fallen," but it only stunk a little. I thought Sienna Miller was poorly cast, but I love Arnold vosloo and I will be a fan of Ray Park for life, so the movie didn't make me want to bludgeon myself. Joseph-Gordon Leavitt sucked, and I say this after having seen "500 days of summer." I just couldn't see him as an arch villain. This was a really mediocre summer. "Star Trek" got me hopeful and everything that followed bummed me out, even "Harry Potter". "District 9" is my last hope.
http://the-pop-culture-junkie.blogspot.com/ Armand

I know Im gonna get a lot of heat from TF2 fans but G.I Joe was better than Transformers 2. Cheesy plot, even cheesier acting. But the action was good and Ray Park kicked ass. At least it had a flow to it and it wasn't all over the place. All in all it was fun. Exactly what a summer blockbuster should be. Plain no-brainer fun.
http://the-pop-culture-junkie.blogspot.com/ Armand

PS : The line "Knowing is half the battle" came from the cartoon. At the end of the Joe cartoons, Hawk would do some PSA (Public Service Annoucement) educating kids on something. And his end line would always be "Knowing is half the battle". At least Sommers paid homage to the cartoon.
Ryan

This movie was terrible. Not good at all. The dialouge was bad, the acting was bad, the CGI was bad. Everything was bad. I don't think it would even be alright for children. Some children have good taste. Stephen Sommers needs to retire. I feel so sad for people who think this is a good film. They are probably the same people that put ketchup on steak.
Aaron

@22- "Sorry Ram but you're wrong. Watchmen, Catwoman, and Superman Returns are all superhero flicks that failed/lost money for their respective studios." ......Really? Like really? What was SO bad about Watchmen? They definitely did the comic justice. God I HATE when people complain about it. It was fucking awesome! Oh and this movie was ok. Wasn't SUPER awesome, but far from TERRIBLE. Dennis was trying to hard to be awesome though, I didn't like him as Hawk.
Black Dynomite

Great movie. my expectations were low from the trailers so I checked my inside critic at the door. It was very exciting, entertaining, funny and a perfect length. Great summer movie!
Martin

fuck all of the ppl who did not like this film the movie was good better than dat piece of shit call transformers 2
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2408/blackbabyjesus.gif Crapola

It was quite funny, like a daft James Bond, especially the underwater stuff. Part 2 will definitely happen, quite a lot was left open at the end.
TCox

I'll try to not give spoilers.... G.I. Joe was a big part of my childhood. I had the toys, and watched the cartoon religiously. The movie was a pretty damn good interpretation of the tv series. I would have preferred it be closer to the Marvel comic book series, but it would have made the tone of the film much darker. You can complain all you want about the liberties taken with the characters, but it was the normal stuff Hollywood does. In the interest of diversifying the Joes, Ripcord is now an African-American, Breaker is Middle Eatern, and Heavy Duty is British. At first I was put off by them changing G.I. Joe to an international team, but in the grand scheme of things it works. Purists will hate all the tinkering with the characters, but most of the changes didn't bother me. Some of them actually made sense, but some didn't work. The single most popular character in G.I. Joe is Snake-Eyes. Any true G.I. Joe fan knows why Snake-Eyes doesn't speak. The explanation given in G.I. Joe - The Rise of Cobra was pretty lazy, and irritating. They spent a lot of time in flashbacks to Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow as children, but it seemed to be wasted time, considering the story was centered around Duke, Anna, and her brother Rex. We needed more of the backstory relevant to the main plot device, but we got more action, and explosions instead. The fued between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow could almost be it's own movie, not a few confusing flashbacks. Duke was ok. He had a cockiness to him that got on my nerves, but was tolerable. Ripcord was great. He balanced out Duke with his sense of humor. I have to give Marlon Wayans some credit. His was the best acting in the movie. It's not that everyone else was terrible, but that Ripcord actually felt like a real person, and not a comic book character. Scarlet was great, and I'd enjoyed the banter back and forth between her and Ripcord. There was a slight nod to past relationship between her and Snake-Eyes (for the comic book fans). It's pretty common knowledge that Brenan Fraser has a brief cameo. Can anyone tell me who he is supposed to be. All the rumors I read said he was playing Gung-Ho, but he was dressed very much like a certain green beret who happens to be #3 in charge of G.I. Joe. Cover Girl....WTF?? For those of you who have actually watched the movie, you'll understand. I admit I liked the updated take on Cobra Commander and Destro, and I hope to see them fleshed out more in a sequel. Zartan was kinda lame at first, but there's potential there to do some cool stuff in a sequel, based on events in this movie. Baroness was pretty bad ass, but I found myself missing the accent she had in the cartoons. Her relationship with Storm Shadow was odd, and I felt like I'd missed something. The bottom line for me is that it's a fun movie, that has to be taken for what it is. A popcorn action flick based on a toy/comic book/cartoon. If you're expecting more then set this one out. I enjoyed it, much more than the critic in me wanted to. It's over the top, with great pacing, big explosions, and enteresting characters. A critic said that "G.I. Joe - The Rise of Cobra plays like the sequel to a movie that was never made". I have to agree with that statement. I hope the next movie is a prequel.
Magus

terrible storyline... the war and love story plus the flashbacks didn't jive too well... a bit transformer-ish graphics and sounds... a good storyline would've been nice!
mandarin

Dude its based on a toy, how good of a story are you going to expect? Im glad they didnt use blue and red lasers and people got cut, shot and blown up like in a real fire fight. It wasnt a great story but it was watchable and entertaining.
TCox

If you're under the age of 35, then you really aren't going to have the same kind of attachment to the characters like I did. Even in their updated forms, the essence of them was there. Duke, Snake-Eyes, Breaker, Ripcord, Scarlet, Destro, Storm Shadow, Cobra Commander, Baroness, and Zartan are the core characters of G.I Joe. Most of these characters were introduced in '82-'83, so if the original cartoon series, or Marvel Comic are something you are unfamiliar with, you will have a harder time accepting the movie as it is. It plays just like a live action version of the cartoon. It's over the top, cheesy, and fun. Like I said before, I hope the next movie is more of a prequel.
TCox

one more thing.... I really missed Roadblock, Gung Ho, Flint (Brendan Fraser ?), Lady Jaye, Stalker, and Ace (who would have fit Marlon Wayans character better I think). Can someone please explain Cover Girl to me? Did they ever even refer to her as Cover Girl, because I must have missed it. The only reason I knew who she was is from online pics, and seeing the movie action figure.
Eldrick G

I only read a few reviews here and many people seem upset. I completely agree with #64, I think he said it best (for what I read of the many reviews) What kind of movie can you expect based from an 80's cartoon that was made for kids??? C'mon now be real! It was a great movie for the fans of the franchise and for the kids of this generation they were trying to appeal to. Go watch this movie if your a fan of summer action movies (felt like watchin ID4 years ago), a fan of GI Joe, or have kids that want to see this. Otherwise stay at home and watch the Matrix or Mission Impossible on DVD. =D
Somni

I understand that we all love to criticize movies, scout for the bad graphics or bad acting, and stuff, but really, can't you all just sit back and try to enjoy the movie anyway? I know it had bad acting, cheesy dialogue, a typical plot, typical couples, mediocre graphics and such, but I still enjoyed it. It was entertaining and I think that for some films, that's what counts sometimes. And what's strange is that I am interested in seeing the sequel. Why? Because I'm sure it'll be entertaining with all the action and settings it might have like the first one. But, really guys, just enjoy the film, make the best of it, laugh at all that cheesiness and have a good time. Watch it with friends and make fun of the film at least, that's always a blast! Stop being adults for once...
TCox

I couldn't agree more with you Somni
Lokiluvcocky

This is not just a movie for little boys. It's a movie for retarded, ignorant, red-neck grown men who haven't grown up. Now you can see your favorite dolls come to life. Instead of jerking off to your action figures, you can jerk off to the actors playing action figures. Throw in some stupid robots that turn into vehicles and you have a retarded circle jerk of toy loving morons.
history repeats

i thought it was really cheesy. i was sitting there wondering why when it hit me. gi joe the movie is right wing propaganda! the group is basically blackwater. the capabilities of the military are blown out of proportion. the bad guys originated from a madman that was ranting and raving about the king and the church in the beginning. the world is at stake everyday. the chick scarlett doesnt believe in love because there is no scientific data for it (i havent finished it yet, but im assuming something will change her mind and see the truth.) i bet you some right winger had something to do with this crap. its just....out of touch. it would have fit in 20 yrs ago when arnold was considered a top shelf movie star. dont get me wrong the fight scenes were cool, but it just wasnt outside of the box.
Robbie

Not bad!
scmglove

#22 You're wrong. Watchmen made 55 million opening weekend which was almost half of the production cost. Then it went on to make almost 200 million so I really don't see how this was a financial failure.
mikeamorgan

since i was a kid in the 80's i have to admit, the movie was very much like the cartoon. If i were a kid, it would be the best movie of all time lol. Since I am not, i will say i enjoyed it, it was entertaining, and it was like watching the old cartoon (except peopel actualy die) .
soul_reaver265

I knew almost nothing beyond G.I Joe beyond the general storyline prior to seeing this movie. I was born the year after the original cartoon began and thus missed it while growing up. That said, I quite enjoyed this movie. Yeah, it wasnt mind-blowingly awesome, but it wasnt terrible either. Given that I utterly hated X-Men Origins: Wolverine and was somewhat disappointed by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I had my expectations quite low. Quite frankly, I got exactly what I paid for: A piece of toast covered completely in thick layers of cheese. Joseph Gordon Levitt was a high point thanks to his over-the-top performance, as were Sienna Miller and Marlon Wayans. Miller, because she genuinely seemed like she was trying, and Wayans just for not bugging the crap out of me for a change. Oh, and I utterly loved being able to actually SEE what was happening in the action scenes, which is something I really couldn't do in Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.
Sixx

Ok I was always a Joe fan, have hundreds of action figures, some I played with as a child, others I still have in the box(probably will crack em open for my son)....and this movie was a disappointment for me. Tatum's acting was absolutely horrible, which isn't surprising now that I found out he was looking at this more as a Star Wars type movie then a war movie. When I went to see it the kids in the audience never even laughed or "ooohd and aaahd", many of them sit there with a blank look on their face, one kid even said "transformers was better". I wasn't really expecting much from the trailers, but I didn't think they'd make a movie this terrible from a cartoon I absolutely loved.