Synopsis: In G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, an elite military unit takes on an evil organization led by an arms dealer.
Release Date: August 7, 2009 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Action, Thriller
Film Review
Production
If you can think of all the expectations you have for a film such as this, and then imagine them all being fulfilled you have G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. This movie is all about action, playfulness, and pure fun. The story works, the pacing is perfect, all the characters are great, and in the end, you are smiling. Plus you get to see so many cool advanced weapons and imaginative technology your mind is constantly in awe. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra brings back to life the action genre with a whole bunch of imagination and what matters most, great entertainment!
Special Effects
To call the effects in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra impressive is a stretch, even with the obviousness that they took a great amount of time and skill and imagination. Why? Because they have the video game aesthetic appearance; meaning they lack a realness one needs to fully suspend their belief and become encapsulated in this near future world of the “Joe’s”. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is still a wonder to behold as cities are created underwater, physical objects destroyed in a blink of an eye, and really fun weaponry and military warcraft fill the screen. If only the cartoonish nature of these images was eliminated would the effects be worthy of more praise.
Costumes
If you place very attractive people in skintight rubber suits or overly fitted leather outfits the costuming is bound to stand out, and it does in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. From the Joes’ everyday apparel, of rubber skin, to the knockout leather ensembles donned by Sienna Miller (The Baroness/Sara) the costuming fits wonderfully into the futuristic vibe giving it not only an otherworldly technological flair but also a sexy military style well deserving of the sleek world these people inhabit.
There are two costume choices that are interesting based on a deeper meaning when dealing with color and characterization. The two ‘brothers’ in the film, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, are polar opposites. It would be logical, and typical, to place the good son, Snake Eyes, in white and the bad son, Storm Shadow, in black. Instead, it is the opposite. By changing up the expected colors associated with character based on their persona it puts a new spin on what represents pure and innocent and what beholds evil. Finding the root of a character based on their outward appearance becomes impossible, as the expected becomes the unexpected.
Action Sequences
There are more explosions in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra than one could possibly count…and it’s a great thing. From car chases to gunfire explosions, underwater crafts shooting and chasing each other, or high tech aircrafts blowing up missiles in mid-air, the action just keeps on coming. There is never a dull moment in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and you get more than you could ever ask for from an action movie.
Cast and Crew
- Director(s): Stephen Sommers
- Screenwriters: Stuart Beattie, David Elliot, Paul Lovett
- Cast: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Heavy Duty), Christopher Eccleston (Destro), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Cobra Commander), Sienna Miller (The Baroness), Channing Tatum (Duke), Marlon Wayans (Ripcord), Dennis Quaid (General Hawk)
- Editor(s): Bob Ducsay
- Cinematographer: Mitchell Amundsen
- Production Designer(s): Ed Verreaux
- Costume Designer: Ellen Mirojnick
- Country Of Origin: USA
