Movie Review: GI JOE Retaliation

If you regularly read Madman with a Book, then you know I don't usually review movies. But, since I read the prequel comics and I've been raving about wanting to see the movie on which they were based, I figured I should talk about them some. Be warned, there will be spoilers!


The film was in my opinion much better than the first movie. Maybe it's because I just finished reading the original 155 issue run of the Marvel series. Or maybe it's because this film actually seemed to be more in tuned with the comics than the first film!


The movie has Channing Tatum returning as lead character Duke. In the mix this time is Lady Jaye, Flint, and Road Block, played by the Rock of WWE fame. Girls, don't get too excited as Duke is only in the first 15 minutes of the movie. This is the Rock's show and I think it worked.


In the last movie, Zartan was impersonating the POTUS. In this movie, he's still the PREZ and now he's framed the Joes for killing an important Middle Eastern diplomat. While Road Block, Lady Jaye, and Flint try to find out why they were framed, Snake Eyes and ninja apprentice, Jinx are on the heels of Storm Shadow, who just freed Cobra Commander from a top secret military prison.


Badly injured from the rescued, Storm seeks refuge and healing in a Himilayian temple. Those scenes have some of the best martial arts battles this side of Bruce Lee and some of the most rediculious mountain repelling scenes since Stallone in Cliffhanger. Much of the Snake Eyes trilogy is played out her as Storm Shadow realizes that Zartan, that Cobra master of disguise, killed his master and led him down the path of evil. With that bit of info, the ninja and the ousted Joes team up to bring the President of these United States down! But they are going to need some fire power.


That brings us to Bruce Willis who steals the show as original Joe- Joe Colton and in his retirement manages to possess a gigantic armory. While Colton goes to save the real POTUS from his summer retreat, the rest of the Joes head to South Carolina. There, Zartan tricks the most powerful men in the world into destroying their nuclear weapons and then hands over power of the US to Cobra Commander.


I'm going to leave the plot synopsis at that. I don't want to give away much more. There's supposed to be a sequel and I hope there is. I really enjoyed this film. While watching it, my wife in our office, kept running in the living room thinking something was wrong. I had to take a moment and go "Oh, no nothing wrong. But, (insert name) just did (insert action) and if he doesn't move fast, he's gonna get it."


I don't remember my wife having to ever do this before when I watched another movie or show and she was online in the other room. Obviously, I got into the movie.


I know this film isn't ever going to win a best picture Oscar, but I did not watch it to be informed or moved. I wanted to be entertained and I clearly was. I think Retaliation was one of those few times that the sequel was better than the original.


I highly recommend this movie is you A) love GI Joe, B) love action movies, C) are a fan of the Rock, D) loved to read comic books as a kid or currently still do, and/ or E) was a boy growing up in the 80s. I was all of these and it was a blast.


Worth Consuming.


Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. Rated PG-13 for mild violence, torture, sexuality (but no nudity) and a occasional swear.